Many things can influence prostate cancer life expectancy, including treatment and diet.

Even with the advancement of cancer research, many men with an aggressive form of this disease have been told that it is untreatable. This usually means that the patient must watch and wait. They do nothing to improve their chances of survival.

New Studies Offer Hope

However, a new study offers some hope for increasing life expectancy. Surgical removal of the prostate or radiation treatment has been found to double life expectancy compared to those who do not receive either of these treatments. It has been found that patients who receive radiation or a prostatectomy (surgical removal of the prostate gland), even with the most aggressive non-metastatic prostate cancer, have a life expectancy of more than 14 years.

Some doctors believe that aggressive forms of cancer of the prostate are beyond a cure. The more doctors whose point of view changes, the more likely that these patients life expectancy will increase.

Treatments to Extend Prostate Cancer Life Expectancy

There are several treatments that will extend the life expectancy for patients with this disease. One drug called Taxotere, has also been used for women with advanced breast cancer. The prostate cancer life expectancy in men who took Taxotere increased by nearly 20%, making this drug a standard therapy of care for patients. Like with most drugs, side effects can be expected. The most severe side effects were nausea, anemia and hair loss. Men who were treated with Taxotere survived an additional 18 months while those who did not receive Taxotere lived only 15 months longer. While three months may not seem live a significant difference, it does show that progress in treatment for prostate cancer is moving in the right direction.

Radical prostatectomy involves removing the entire prostate gland. Complications exist as they do with any other type of surgery. However, some men may experience incontinence or impotence. The mortality rate is very low for this treatment.

More Hopeful Research on Prostate Cancer Life Expectancy Treatments

A study that was conducted by the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center found that when animals were given an experimental drug, either they remained precancerous, or the prostate developed benign enlargements. Seventy-four percent of the animals that were not given the drug developed advanced prostate cancer. Most American men who are diagnosed with this form of cancer will die if untreated and it metastases. Medical science is constantly looking for ways to not only improve prostate cancer life expectancy, but to also improve the quality of life for patients.