Prostate Carcinoma at 10x Magnification
Prostate carcinoma is generally a very slow-growing type of cancer and most typically develops late in life. Due to such characteristics, some individuals who are diagnosed with the disease prefer a watchful waiting approach, in which a doctor monitors the disease for any signs that active treatment is necessary, rather than undergoing immediate surgery or other therapy. Watchful waiting is particularly popular among very elderly individuals or those that are in poor health related to other conditions. For patients that require treatment a number of options are available, including various surgical techniques, radiotherapy, hormone therapy, and chemotherapy. Oftentimes, several approaches will be used in conjunction with one another to increase the likelihood that all malignant cells are destroyed or removed.