Prostate Cancer Care

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Are there any early signs of prostate cancer that can indicate there is a problem?

Early symptoms of prostate cancer are rare and the disease has usually spread by the time the person has experienced them.

Thus if you feel you have these signs and symptoms of prostate cancer that are discussed in this article, you should see your doctor to make sure that these are not symptoms of prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is usually found in African American men and men over 70. Some of the risk factors for prostate cancer are uncontrolled consumption of alcohol; leading an inactive lifestyle, heavy metal exposure (for example cadmium), a diet high in saturated fat, smoking, family history, certain races (African American).

What is prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer is cancer in a gland (otherwise known as adenocarcinoma) in the prostate which is a gland in the male sexual organs. The main risk for this cancer is age.

Men over 70 are most likely to get prostate cancer. There is also a genetic link and therefore family history is also a concern in addition to those with a diet that is higher in fat. So men with these risk factors need to make sure that they are seen and checked on a regular basis. This is especially important since early symptoms of prostate cancer are rare and might the cancer might not be detected until it has spread to other organs in the body and then more drastic measures would need to be taken.

Most of the signs and symptoms of prostate cancer can be confused with other disorders so any urinary tract problems or back or upper leg pain need to be discussed with a doctor immediately. Some of the symptoms of prostate cancer are lower back pain and stiffness, this pain and stiffness can also be found in the thighs, hips and pelvic areas. In addition there are difficulties in the urinary tract in addition to sexual difficulties like pain and blood in the ejaculate or urine.

Signs and symptoms of prostate cancer
Determining prostate cancer by signs and symptoms alone is difficult because they are similar to other prostate disorders and therefore other tests such as a PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen, usually higher in those with cancer) and a DRE (Digital Rectal Exam) definitely will need to be carried out in order to definitely confirm cancer. However these are the usual symptoms of prostate cancer:

1. Difficulty urinating.
2. Pain or burning sensation when urinating
3. Frequent urination
4. Interrupted flow or weak flow of urination
5. Blood in semen or in the urine
6. Pain upon ejaculation
7. Difficulty starting urination or holding it in.
8. Pain in thighs, lower back, pelvic areas, or hips

Symptoms like pain in other areas than the groin or prostate area are an indication that the cancer has already spread to nearby areas such as the lymph nodes, bones, or other areas of the body. This symptom alone is a very serious one and you should see a doctor immediately should you experience this symptom.

Of course as noted earlier, these are also symptoms of other benign growths of the prostate, but still need to be checked by a doctor no matter what the cause.

Treatment
Upon further examination should these symptoms indicate advanced stages of cancer, and then there is little a doctor can do. They can remove all the cancer that they can find and give the patient a little more time. However, if caught early enough then there are several options either used separately or in conjunction that can be used to eliminate the cancer completely and thus lengthen a man’s life.

Surgery: Radical Prostatectomy, which is a complete removal of all of the prostate and nearby tissue that could also have been affected. In addition there is a type of surgery that is used to allow enough nerve tissue so that erections remain possible and thus not terminate the sexual life of the person involved.

Radiation: This entails using either an external beam of radiation upon the prostate or implantation of a radioactive seed in the prostate by way of a needle. These are generally outpatient surgeries.

Observation-This approach is often used if the man with early prostate cancer and is elderly or has other medical conditions. The doctor will give regular exams and will wait and observe and unless there are obvious changes then nothing will be done immediately. Again, this is usually done if there is no immediate danger to the patient.

Choosing a treatment
This is done by discussing with the patient, one or several doctors, and the family. Each procedure and the side effects along with what benefits can be expected are discussed and a choice is made based upon the best results with the least amount of negative aspects. This can be a difficult, but necessary choice for all involved.

By Jayashree Pakhare

Technorati Tags: diagnosis, earlier, for, in men, prostate cancer, signs, symptoms, warning, what is the

Although some people believe that prostate enlargement problems may be early prostate cancer warning signs, these two are not necessarily connected. So what causes an enlarged prostate and what are the possible cures for a male enlarged prostate?

Signs Of Problem With Prostate Enlargement

Having a swollen prostate is not life-threatening, and it is doesn’t have to be an early sign of prostate cancer needing specialist prostate cancer care. However, the condition is very painful, and can lead to failure of the bladder, kidney damage, bladder stones, urinary infections and other problems.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), as it is commonly called, is starting to affect more and more middle aged and elderly men. The prostate gland is slightly larger than a peanut and is located snug in between the urethra and the pubic bone. As the prostate grows, the bladder has to work more in order to push urine through the newly thinned urethra. The muscles of the bladder become overworked and therefore more sensitive. This causes the person affected to have to urinate more frequently. As the prostate grows and places pressure on the already sensitive bladder, the bladder begins to lose the ability to empty itself completely.

There is not a true diagnosis for what causes benign prostatic hyperplasia. Some medical specialists have the theory that androgens, which include testosterone and hormones similar to testosterone, are the main causes of the development of an enlarged prostate. Testosterone is the most important androgen, and is also the most important chemical produced in a man’s life.

The prostate works towards converting testosterone into a powerful androgen known as Dihydrotestosterone, or DHT. DHT stimulates the growth of cells inside the tissue lining of the prostate gland. This is the theory which causes the enlarged prostate. Another theory is that blood vessels deteriorate in men as they age. The end result is an abnormal flow of blood and in return, a loss of oxygen. This also results in an enlarged prostate.

There are  preventative measures that can be taken to ensure good blood flow and function such as through diet and lifestyle managagement.

The prostatic hyperplasia is diagnosed in three ways: a rectal exam, blood tests, and an ultrasound. A rectal exam is always tried first, but the doctor may or may not be able to tell if the prostate is inflamed. The doctor might also require a urine sample to determine if there is an infection present that has caused any urinary discomfort.

The chance of prostate cancer is also considered as one possible option and so this must be determined before an enlarged prostate can be diagnosed. In order to determine this, the doctor will order an ultrasound of the prostate and urinary tract. The blood tests are able to pick up on abnormally high levels of prostate antigens.

Having your enlarged prostate diagnosed in the early stages is vital for preventing any permanent damage. The worst case scenario is urinary retention. As mentioned earlier, if you let the problems persist, your bladder could eventually stop contracting allowing urine to flow. The choices for treatment are medicine or a surgical procedure.

The doctor will probably recommend medicine first, unless your condition is so severe that a surgical procedure is the necessary first step. If you are experiencing any of the signs mentioned for an enlarged prostate, make sure that you make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible. This is not a condition that can be put off for a later date.

By Allen Gelb

Facing a resection of the prostate

When symptoms of benign prostate hypertrophy get in the way of everyday living, some men find themselves faced with a surgical procedure known as resection of the prostate.

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