There are three main treatment options. For tumors that are still inside the prostate, a surgery called radical prostatectomy and radiation therapy are common treatment options (Prostate cancer treatment options). This source describes these two options. Radical prostatectomy removes the whole prostate gland and the nearby lymph nodes. There are 2 types of radiation therapy, external beam radiation therapy and seed therapy also called brachytherapy. In external beam radiation therapy, radiation is given from a machine like an x-ray machine and in brachytheraphy, radioactive pellets (called "seeds") are injected into the prostate gland. Both types have similar results in curing prostate cancer, but involve different side effects and time commitments from the patient.

"Watchful waiting" and hormones are also treatment options (Prostate cancer treatment options). With "watchful waiting," treatment is not given until the tumor gets bigger. This may be the best option for an older man who has a higher risk of dying from something other than prostate cancer. Most tumors that have grown beyond the edge of the prostate can't be cured with either radiation or surgery. In this case, hormones are used to slow the cancer's growth.

What types of things, including teaching, would a nurse do for a patient who comes into the hospital with prostate cancer?

"Men with prostate cancer have many decisions to make -- from diagnosis all the way through the patient journey -- and nurses play an important role in this." (Gosling, cited in Nurses to be key in prostate cancer care, 2008). Recommendations for nursing intervention focus on empowering men to make well-informed choices by providing them with evidence-based information about the disease, particularly in areas that need specialist intervention such as continence and problems with sexual function (Nurses to be key in prostate cancer care, 2008). In addition to provision of education,...

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