A Quick Look at Prostate Cancer: Treatments and Lifestyle Measures

Prostate cancer care today emphasizes individualized decisions. Low-risk cancers are often managed with active surveillance. Local treatments (surgery, radiation) remain effective for localized disease. Advanced disease benefits from androgen-deprivation therapy plus newer agents (AR inhibitors, chemotherapy), and targeted options such as PARP inhibitors and PSMA-directed radioligand therapy are available for selected patients. A healthy diet and lifestyle support overall outcomes, but supplements and herbal remedies have not proven to cure prostate cancer.

Overview

Prostate cancer management has changed a great deal since the mid-2000s. Many cases are detected early and can be monitored or treated successfully. Decisions now balance cancer risk, life expectancy, symptoms, and patient preferences.

Screening and early management

PSA (prostate-specific antigen) testing remains a common tool, but recommendations vary by age, risk, and individual choice. For men with low-risk, localized disease, active surveillance (regular PSA, exams, and periodic imaging/biopsy) is a standard approach to avoid overtreatment.

Local treatments for localized disease

When treatment is needed, options include radical prostatectomy (surgery) and radiation therapy (external-beam or brachytherapy). Both aim to remove or destroy the tumor in the prostate. Each has tradeoffs in urinary, sexual, and bowel side effects; multidisciplinary consultation helps select the best choice.

Hormonal and systemic therapies

Androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) remains a foundational treatment for advanced prostate cancer. ADT can be medical (GnRH agonists/antagonists) or surgical (orchiectomy). Over the past decade, several drugs that target the androgen receptor (enzalutamide, apalutamide, darolutamide) and chemotherapy (docetaxel) have improved outcomes when combined with ADT in higher-risk or metastatic disease.

Newer targeted and radioligand therapies have expanded options for metastatic disease. PARP inhibitors (for cancers with certain DNA-repair mutations, e.g., BRCA2) and PSMA-directed radioligand therapy (177Lu-PSMA) are approved for selected patients with advanced disease. Immunotherapy has a limited but defined role in specific molecular subtypes.

Role of diet, supplements, and lifestyle

A healthy lifestyle supports overall health and may influence prostate cancer risk and recovery. Current evidence favors diets rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and healthy fats - patterns similar to the Mediterranean diet. Some observational studies link tomatoes (lycopene) and green tea with lower risk, but no dietary change guarantees prevention.

Large randomized trials have not supported routine use of supplements (for example, vitamin E and selenium) to prevent prostate cancer and, in some trials, supplements offered no benefit or caused harm. High-dose single-nutrient supplements are not recommended for cancer prevention.

Herbs and compounds such as capsaicin have shown biological activity in laboratory studies, but clinical evidence of benefit in people is lacking. Discuss any supplements or herbal products with your clinician because they can interact with treatments.

Making decisions and follow-up

Treatment choice depends on tumor stage and grade, PSA, patient age, comorbidities, and personal values. Shared decision-making with urologists, radiation oncologists, and medical oncologists is important. Survivorship care should address side effects, cardiovascular health, bone health (often affected by ADT), and mental well-being.

If you or a loved one faces prostate cancer, ask about active surveillance when appropriate, the expected benefits and side effects of local and systemic options, and whether genetic testing for inherited mutations is recommended.