Dr. Freedland on Treating Early-Stage Prostate Cancer

Stephen J. Freedland, MD, Associate Professor of Surgery, Associate Professor in Pathology, Duke University School of Medicine, discusses the complications faced when treating men with early-stage prostate cancer.

Freedland notes that in the past few years there have been multiple new agents approved for advanced prostate cancer. Overall, the treatment choice for early-stage prostate cancer has remained hormonal therapy and likely will not change in the next 5 years, Freedland believes.

When administering androgen-deprivation therapy there are multiple expected adverse events, such as bone loss, cholesterol issues, and insulin intolerance. Despite the occurrence of these events, not every patient develops a bone fracture or a heart attack and proper preventive measures should be addressed with patients.

As a way to reduce the expected consequences of treating prostate cancer, Freedland stresses that physicians should promote the importance of healthy living and exercise.