Prostate cancer – causes, signs and symptoms, treatment and prognosis

Another article about what is cancer…
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men over fifty years.
  Adenocarcinoma is the most common form.
  Prostate cancers seldom produce symptoms until the cancer is in advanced stage for the early diagnosis is essential because in the early stages of the disease is curable.
  Location and function
  The prostate is an organ that is part of the male reproductive system. It lies just below the bladder and in front of the intestine. Its main function is to produce fluid which protects and enriches sperm.
  In younger men the prostate is about the size of a walnut. It is donut-shaped around the beginning of the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the penis. The nerves that control erections surround the prostate.
  Signs and symptoms of prostate cancer
  ?? Waking up frequently during the night to urinate
  ?? Sudden or urgent need to urinate
  ?? Difficulty starting to urinate
  ?? Slow flow of urine and difficulty stopping the
  ?? Discomfort with urination
  ?? Painful ejaculation
  ?? Blood in urine or semen
  ?? Urgency decreased libido (sex)
  ?? Reduced ability to get an erection
  Most men tend to accept the appearance of one or more of these symptoms, as a natural consequence of aging. However, anyone experiencing any of the above symptoms is advised to consult a doctor without delay. Early diagnosis and expert treatment of tumors is important and can avoid potentially serious consequences for health.
  Prostate carcinoma is usually one of the slower growing cancers. In the past, was more common in men over 70 years, and many men died of other causes before their prostate cancer could kill them. This led to the old saying "most men die with no, of, prostate cancer.
  However, it is certainly not true today. Three developments have changed a lot of things:
  ?? Men are living longer, giving more time that the cancer will spread beyond the prostate, with potentially fatal consequences.
  ?? More men in their early sixties, fifty or even forty years with prostate cancer detected. Before the set, together with increased life expectancy of men, cancers means more time to disseminate and be life threatening unless diagnosed and treated.
  ?? Prostate cancer in younger men often tends to be more aggressive and therefore more hazardous to life within a shorter time.
  Risk Factors and PSA test
  Risk factors for prostate cancer include diets high in fat and low in vegetables. Risk factors include age, 75% of cases are in men over 65 years and the sick family member. Prostate cancer is most often discovered by physical examination or through blood tests such as PSA (prostate specific antigen).
  The PSA test measures the blood level of prostate specific antigen, an enzyme produced by the prostate. The risk of prostate cancer increases with increasing PSA levels.
  Most men who reach the age of 85 years, in fact, have the prostate cancer cells, but the disease is developing so gradually that never compromises their quality of life.
  Genetic factors play a role, particularly for families where the diagnosis is made in men under 60 years of age, and risk of prostate cancer increases with the number of close relatives with the disease.
  Preventive measures
  Researchers at Harvard University found that men who ate cooked tomatoes or foods made with them (tomato sauce or ketchup, for example) more than twice a week were less likely to develop prostate cancer.
  Daily use of antiinflammatory drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen or naproxen may decrease prostate cancer risk.
  Frequent ejaculations also seem to have a definite protective effect against prostate cancer.
  Many prostate cancers are not intended to be lethal, and most men will ultimately die from causes other than disease. Because many prostate tumors are slow growing, survival rates are excellent when the disease is detected in its early stages.
  Treatment options for prostate cancer
  The best treatment is mainly determined by the stage and aggressiveness (how quickly it grows and spreads) of the disease when discovered. Detection of prostate cancer early is the key to defeating the disease.
  Many factors affect the decision whether or not to treat the disease: the patient's age, whether the cancer has spread, the presence of other medical conditions and general health of the patient.
  Treatment for prostate cancer may involve watchful waiting, surgery, radiotherapy and external radiotherapy and brachytherapy, High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU), chemotherapy, cryosurgery, hormonal therapy, or a combination.
  Because all treatments can have significant side effects such as erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence, the discussions often focus on the treatment that balances the goals of therapy with the risks of lifestyle alterations. Natural treatments for prostate cancer symptoms are also worth a look.
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