The diagnosis of prostate cancer is bad enough, but many men are devastated when they hear about the treatment. The traditional treatment for prostate cancer includes hormone ablation. While this treatment reduces hormones and the size of cancer, it also reduces sex drive and can render the patient impotent.

Are there other options?
Traditional cancer treatment says no. However, there are some other options available if you look. Patients seeking alternative treatment can and should use the internet. Each case is different and patient needs change with age, diagnosis, and pain levels.

Prostatectomy
Depending on the type, size, and many other factors, some patients may choose a prostatectomy. This procedure removes the prostate entirely. Urinary function remains the same and impotence may be avoided. Initially, impotence been shown to follow a prostatectomy. However, research shows that erectile function may be restored.

Proton Radiation Treatment
Some clinics in the country do proton radiation treatment without hormone ablation. These clinics are few and far between. You will need to do some research to find a cancer clinic and doctor that will do this procedure. In any case, the radiation shrinks the prostate without effecting hormone levels.

Why didn't my Urologist tell me?
Unfortunately, not all urologists are aware of new procedures. They may feel uncomfortable recommending procedures that have not been around for years or have not been fully tested in case studies. 

This does not mean your urologist is lacking or that your urologist is uniformed. All it means is that your urologist is not comfortable recommending an alternative treatment. Traditional hormone ablation, chemotherapy, and photon radiation works. It has proven effective over the years and many doctors will be hesitant to change. After all, if it isn't broken why fix it?

You, on the other hand, need to take charge of your own health. You need to research cancer treatments in order to make options for yourself. Only you can decide what is best for you. If that means you need to find another doctor, then you need to find another doctor.

How do I locate a urologist that does the treatment I want?
You search urologist by the treatments they offer at Doctor Finders.