You've been getting periodic prostate cancer screenings and your urologist informed you that they suspect you have the beginning signs of a prostate tumor. Regular screenings mean that you've likely caught it as soon as you possible could. Now you have to make the choice of what to do next. Even at this early stage, the next step may be a difficult decision. Here are the options you'll need to consider.

Do Nothing

In the health care world, this is called active surveillance. You actually don't start treatment, but your doctor will have you come in regularly so they can monitor the tumor growth. Prostate tumors grow very slowly and often show no symptoms. If you have a very small tumor, it may take years for it to grow large enough to cause any concern. This approach keeps you from undergoing one of the other uncomfortable treatments for as long as possible.

Surgical Removal of the Tumor

Your urologist may suggest surgery to remove all or part of the prostate gland with the tumor. If the tumor is new and small, the procedure may get all of the cancerous cells for a complete cure. If the tumor is more advanced, there is a risk that it has already begun to spread cancer cells to other part of your body. This may require you to have chemotherapy after the surgery to make sure all of the cancer cells are destroyed. One side effect of the surgery is urine leaking after you've emptied your bladder.

Radiation Treatment of the Tumor

Two types of radiation treatment are used for prostate tumors.

External radiation therapy consists of a beam of radiation delivered to a precise point from outside of your body. You'll need daily doses of this for several weeks until all signs of the cancerous cells are gone.

Internal treatment is performed by inserting small pellets of radioactive material directly into the prostate. The pellets stay in the gland and disrupt the cancer cells. This treatment is most often used on small tumors or where the prostate gland is too small a target for external radiation.

Both types of radiation treatment can cause:

• diarrhea
• bloody stools
• painful urination
• urine leakage
• erectile issues

Chemotherapy

When the cancer cells from the tumor have begun to disperse throughout the body, it's too late for surgery or radiation therapy. Chemotherapy is used to target the cells wherever they have gone. A mixture of chemicals is injected into the bloodstream which seek out the actively growing cancer cells. This treatment requires several daily sessions until there is no sign of cancer cells. Some of the side effects of this treatment include:

• hair loss
• reduced appetite
• nausea and vomiting
• fatigue

For more information, contact a urologist in your area.