Prostate Cancer

Prostate Cancer

Prostate gland is situated below the bladder and produces fluid and nutrients for semen. It gets stimulated by testosterone which is usually produced by testicles. Prostate Cancer is the growth of malignant tumors in the prostate. It is caused by gland cells and proves fatal even to cause death of the patient, if not treated properly. The cancer originating from prostate gland cells is called adenocarcinoma.

Risk Factors

Risk factors of the prostate gland include age which is the key factor in the development of this disease. It rises in men of high age groups usually above 65. Race is another evident factor. It is more commonly found in the men of African and Caribbean people and is not common in men from Asian origin. Family history is another factor. A person will get the disease if his close family members have this disease. Those who take meal with low fibers and high fats will get the disease.

Signs and Symptoms

Warning symptoms of prostate cancer are not present. It is only after the onset of disease that signs of the disease appear. The patient feels a need to urinate time and again and there is pain before and after urinating. The urinary stream may become weak and a feeling of burning may come while urinating. Blood may also appear in urine or semen.

Diagnosis and Testing

There is no conclusive test to diagnose this disease. However, the doctor will negotiate with you the method of diagnosis on the basis of need and conditions. Prostate-specific antigen test checks the prostate-specific antigen level from the sample of blood. A level which is not higher shows the presence of disease. Prostate can be directly examined in Digital rectal examination in which a finger with glove on it is inserted into your rectum and the prostate is felt. A sample of urine may be taken to test the presence of prostate cancer in the man.

Treatment of the Disease

Many factors are taken into account while treating prostate cancer. The very first factor is the age of the patient and his expected life span of his remaining life. If the patient has other serious health conditions, these may be taken into account. The most important factors are the stage of cancer and its state. The feelings of the patient are taken into account about what he thinks about the need of the treatment. The expectations of good result from the treatment are also considered in this regard.

There are various treatment methods to treat the prostate cancer. if the disease has not spread to other parts of body and is in its early state, three treatment options may be adopted. Firstly, surgery may be performed; secondly, radiation therapy may be used to cure it. Thirdly, active surveillance may be used to keep a watch on its development. Hormone therapy is used for those persons who have an advanced level of disease or they are too old to get other treatments. Many times, multi-disciplinary technique can be used to treat this disease.

Prostate cancer is a disease of men which claims many lives every year. It can be diagnosed and cured in a good time. It is hoped that future years will see less deaths due to this disease.