Prostate Cancer
General Facts
The prostate is a gland of the masculine reproductive system the size of a walnut positioned under the bladder and anterior from the rectum, surrounding the urethra. With age it tends to grow in size possibly leading to the narrowing of the urethra and therefore restricting the flow of urine. Prostate cancer is known to be one of the main causes for death in men; in America is the second most common type of cancer diagnosed in men after skin cancer. Prostate cancer appears when some prostate cells lose normal control of growth and division due to unknown reasons. Once the cancer starts to grow faster or moves to other parts of the body, it can become very dangerous. Although the disease usually tends to progress slowly, it can become deadly if the tumors grow outside the gland. Diagnosing prostate cancer early can lead to a successful and complete cure. Prostate cancer may appear at any age, but it occurs mostly after the age of 40 and affects 2 in 3 men after the age of 70.
Symptoms and causes
Among the risk factors for prostate cancer are ethnicity, diet, genetic hereditary and age. Prostate cancer usually affects older men. It tends to occur more often when there is a history of prostate cancer in the family. Being of African ethnicity puts a person in a higher risk category than all the other ethnicities with Asian-Americans less affected by this type of cancer. ethnicities with Asian-Americans less affected by this type of cancer. The experts are uncertain as to the exact causes of prostate cancer, but they all agree that diet can contribute. A diet consisting in large quantities of fat, especially animal fat and red meat, increases risk of developing prostate cancer. The hidden factor that might connect a high fat diet to prostate cancer is argued to be related to hormones. There was no connection established in between prostate cancer and a healthy sexual life, vasectomy, masturbation, alcohol consumption or smoking, circumcision, infertility or other benign affections of the prostate. Although there are few symptoms associated with the early stages of prostate cancer, some of the warning signs might include :
- Difficulty in starting and stopping urine flow.
- Frequent need to urinate, especially at night time.
- Pain or a burn sensation during urination or ejaculation.
- Blood in urine or sperm. Among the symptoms that accompany more advanced stages of cancer are pain in the pelvic area and loss of appetite and weight.
Investigation and diagnosis
The first tests that need to be performed to diagnose prostate cancer are a digital rectal exam to determine the size and consistency of the gland and a blood test called PSA – Prostate Specific Antigen. A small amount of PSA can be found in blood and if the tests results show a high PSA it can be an indication of cancer cells in the prostate. After the initial screening, the doctor will decide whether more tests are required or a prostate biopsy is the next step. Diagnosis can only be confirmed after microscopic examination.
Treatment and prevention
The therapeutic options for men with prostate cancer are nowadays very promising. There is a wide array of methods to treat prostate cancer, depending on some factors.:
- Age and life span of the patient.
- Stage of prostate cancer.
- Other health conditions like cardiovascular diseases.
- Patient’s interest in coping with the side effects of certain treatment options that can inflict changes on the patient’s lifestyle.
Treatment options
- Active surveillance : it is an option for older age patients with a slow developing prostate cancer. The chances are that, considering their short life expectation, the cancer will not be affecting them. Still, during watchful waiting, PSA levels should be constantly monitored and digital rectal examinations to check the size of the prostate will be required,at intervals determined by a specialist.
- Radiotherapy : in this case, there are two methods. One is external radiation therapy and the other it is called brachytherapy.In the first case the prostate is subject to x-rays emitted by a machine outside the patient’s body. For brachytherapy, small radioactive seeds are implanted into and around the prostate gland to minimize the effect the x-rays have on the surrounding body organs.
- Hormonal Therapy : its purpose is to cut the supply of testosterone that determines the cancer cell growth and spread.
- Cryotherapy : it involves freezing cancer cells in the prostate with liquid nitrogen.
- Surgery : recommended for younger patients with general good health, it is an excellent treatment strategy if the tumor is only in the prostate and hasn’t invaded surrounding areas. The procedure is called Radical Retropubic Prostatectomy and which is the surgical removal of the prostate gland.