Treatment for prostate cancer
Your treatment depends on a number of factors including how big the cancer is, whether it has spread anywhere else in your body and your general health. A team of doctors and other professionals discuss the best treatment and care for you.
This section is about treatment for prostate cancer that hasn't spread to another part of your body.
We have separate information about treatment for cancer that began in the prostate and has spread to another part of the body. This is advanced prostate cancer.
Preparing for treatment and life afterwards (prehabilitation)
There are things you can do to help you feel more in control of your physical and mental health when preparing for treatment. In the hospital, preparing for treatment is also called prehabilitation or prehab.
Decisions about your treatment
Find out about how your doctor decides which treatment you need, the types of treatment you might have and treatment by risk.
Active surveillance and watchful waiting
You might have active surveillance if you’ve been diagnosed with an early prostate cancer that doesn't need treatment straight away. Watchful waiting is another way of monitoring your cancer.
Surgery for prostate cancer
Surgery is one of the main treatments for prostate cancer. You might have an operation to remove the prostate or to help to relieve the symptoms of prostate cancer.
Hormone therapy
Prostate cancer usually depends on testosterone to grow. Hormone therapy blocks or lowers the amount of testosterone in the body.
Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy uses high energy waves similar to x-rays to kill prostate cancer cells. You might have it on its own or with hormone therapy.
Treatment as part of a clinical trial
Your doctor may recommend other treatments such as cryotherapy or high intensity ultrasound (HIFU) as part of a clinical trial.
Treatment if your prostate cancer comes back
Your cancer might come back after having treatment trying to cure it (radical or curative). Find out what your treatment options are if this happens.
Follow up
Find out about follow up appointments and tests after treatment for prostate cancer.
