Prostate Cancer is a disease caused by
the mutation of cells in the prostate that begin to multiply at
increasing rates (all facts and citations in this article are from
the guide, Nutritional Prevention of Prostate Cancer, found at
http://www.PreventProstateCancer.info). Prostate Cancer can develop
at any age; however it is more common in older men and risks
increase drastically with advancing age. In some men, the cancer
can develop unnoticed and the men will die of other causes; though
when caught early, prostate cancer has a 90% cure rate. Therefore,
it is crucial that men go into the doctor for yearly
screenings.
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Life is too important to waste! Learn what you can do to
protect yourself and your loved ones from prostate
cancer.
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Signs/Symptoms
Men often do not know that they have
prostate cancer until the later stages of the disease, unless they
go in for regular screenings. This is because prostate cancer, in
the early stages, is asymptomatic (does not show symptoms). The
first manifestations of the disease are often related to bladder
obstruction, and are similar to the signs and symptoms seen in
patients with BPH (see p. 18). Rectal obstruction can also occur,
which causes problems with defecating during a bowel
movement.
Later Stages of the disease often produce a wider variety of
symptoms because at this point the cancer has often metastasized
(spread) to another area of the body such as the bones or lymph
nodes. Signs and symptoms of the later stages of prostate cancer
include:
Screening/Diagnosis
Screening and diagnosis
is the same for both BPH and prostate cancer. Procedures include
the following:
- Digital rectal examination (DRE): palpitation of the prostate
gland via the anal canal may detect enlargement
- Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood tests: elevated levels of
PSA in the blood may be an indication of cancer
- bone pain
- edema (swelling) of the lower extremities
- enlarged lymph nodes in the groin area, under the arms, or in
the throat liver enlargement
- bone fractures
- mental confusion (seen in severe cases in which the cancer has
spread to the brain)
- Transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS): ultrasound examination of
the testicles, prostate, and kidneys may rule out other disease or
confirm BPH or cancer.
Treatment
Treatment of prostate cancer
varies depending on the stage of cancer, the effects of treatment,
age, general health, and life expectancy of the individual. Men who
are diagnosed and treated in the early stages of Prostate cancer
have a 90% chance of being completely cured of the disease.41
Although complete recovery is not as likely during the later stages
of cancer, treatment can extend life expectancy, reduce tumor size,
and reduce pain. Treatment options include both surgical and
non-surgical procedures.
Surgical treatments
- Prostatectomy– the partial or complete removal of the prostate
gland.
- Transurethral resection
- Cryotherapy– procedure in which the prostate gland is exposed
to freezing temperatures. During the procedure, needles are
inserted into the prostate gland through the area between the
scrotum and anus. Once the needles are in place the needles produce
freezing temperatures which destroy the prostate and all
surrounding cancerous tissue. Note: Surgical treatment of
prostate cancer can often result in a temporary loss of urinary
control and/or sexual dysfunction. Medications can be prescribed by
your doctor to help reduce these side effects.
Non-surgical treatments
- Radiation therapy– medical use of ionizing radiation to destroy
the DNA of cancerous cells. Radiation is used to destroy or control
the multiplication of malignant cells. Radiation is applied to the
site of cancer (tumor, lymph nodes, etc.) and its surrounding
tissue. This treatment is often used in conjunction with Hormone or
Chemotherapy.
- Hormone therapy– Hormone therapy involves the administration of
specific hormones, such as steroids, or drugs which inhibit the
production or activity of other hormones involved in the
development of the cancer. The agents used in hormone therapy are
designed to alter gene expression of the cancerous cells, causing
cell activity to cease, or by promoting cell death.
- Chemotherapy- Chemotherapy is the use of chemicals and
antibiotics to kill cancer cells. Cancer is caused by the
uncontrollable division of cells. The chemicals used during
chemotherapy are designed to target rapidly-dividing cells, thus
targeting the cancer cells and not other healthy cells of the
body.
- Immunotherapy- Immunotherapy is a relatively new treatment that
stimulates the body's own immune-system to kill off tumors.
Tags: prostate cancer, screening,
signs,
symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, immunotherapy, cryotherapy, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, prostatectomy