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Everything that you need to know about prostate cancer, causes or risk factors, prostate cancer symptoms and prostate cancer treatments is right here. Read on to get more information about this common male cancer.
What is prostate cancer?
Normally the growth of all cells is carefully controlled in the body. As cells die, they are replaced in an orderly fashion. When cancer develops, the cells start to multiply in an uncontrolled way.
If this happens in the prostate gland, prostate cancer can develop. In most cases, this is a slow growing cancer and it may stay undiagnosed because it never causes any symptoms or problems. However, this is not true for all men. Sometimes prostate cancer cells can grow quickly and move outside the prostate. They may then cause symptoms in other parts of the body, such as the bones.
Prostate cancer risk factors
Though it can be never determined if you are at risk for the cancer of prostate, unless you get yourself diagnosed; certain risk factors can help you know if you are at an increased risk of prostate cancer or not. Some of the risk factors for prostate cancer are as follows:
- Age
Though age is not a very decisive factor to know the risk of prostate cancer, it is seen that most men over the age of 50 are diagnosed with it. If you are 40, it does not mean that you will not suffer from prostate cancer. However, you are more likely to suffer from testicular cancer in earlier age.
- Family history of prostate cancer
If any of your family member is diagnosed with prostate cancer, your risk of getting the cancer of prostate increases by two and a half times.
- Ethnicity
Black men and men of African Caribbean are three times more susceptible to prostate cancer than white men. Genes or environmental factors may be responsible for it, however, the true cause is not yet determined.
- Diet
Saturated animal fats and red meat may be responsible for the higher rates of prostate cancer seen in Western countries. By reducing the amount of animal fat in diet and eating more of certain fruits and vegetables may lower the risk of prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer symptoms
Symptoms of prostate cancer are similar to the symptoms of enlarged prostate. Hence, many a times, these prostate cancer symptoms are misdiagnosed and left untreated. If you experience any of the following symptoms, you may be suffering from prostate cancer. So make sure you get yourself checked if you experience these enlarged prostate/prostate cancer symptoms. Moreover, do not get tensed and nervous that you have prostate cancer, if symptoms like these show up. They may not be prostate cancer symptoms but symptoms of enlarged prostate.
Some of the prostate cancer symptoms are as follows:
- Frequent urination, especially at night
- Urgency to rush to the toilet
- Inability to control urination
- Difficulty in passing urine in the beginning
- Weaker flow or urine
- Dribbling
- Pain during urination
- Persistent feeling and need to empty the bladder in spite of urinating
Some other prostate cancer symptoms are as below:
- Pain in the lower back, hips or pelvis
- Erection problems
- Decreased libido
- Rare symptom of blood in the urine or semen
Prostate cancer treatments
Some of the common prostate cancer treatments are as follows:
- Active monitoring or watchful waiting until it becomes unavoidable to go for a treatment
- Hormone therapy
- Surgery
- Radiotherapy
- Cryosurgery
- Cryotherapy
- HIFU
- brachytherapy
- HDR brachytherapy
Which of these prostate cancer treatments is suitable for you depends on your stage of prostate cancer. Nowadays, prostate cancer vaccine is also available as a prostate cancer treatment.
This prostate cancer vaccine is developed using a genetically engineered virus that attacks prostate cancer cells. Patients need not be hospitalised when they receive prostate cancer vaccine, as the only symptoms they experience are flu-like symptoms, redness, and injection on the site where the prostate cancer vaccine is given. Find out from a doctor which of these above-mentioned prostate cancer treatments is suitable for you. Based on the stage and intensity of your prostate cancer symptoms, he will suggest the best prostate cancer treatment.
Prostate cancer prevention
The rate of prostate cancer in men is very high. This is the reason many people go for prevention methods for prostate cancer rather than its treatment. Many people are actively involved in prostate massaging to prevent prostate cancer. However, if you are already suffering from prostate cancer, you should not go for prostate massaging.
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