Men’s Health: Prostate Cancer
Men fear the diagnosis of prostate cancer more than any other kind. It is one of those diseases that if caught at an early stage it is the most successfully treated cancer. Excluding skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men. Prostate cancer is also the second leading cause of cancer death for men.
The prostate is a sex gland for men about the size of a walnut. It surrounds the neck of the bladder and around the tube that carries urine to the bladder called the urethra. The prostate is made of three lobes and secretes part of the fluid that makes up the seminal fluid.
Prostate screening is important, as there are no early signs of this cancer. The easiest ways to discover prostate in men is a PSA blood test, an annual physical exam, and a digital rectal exam. These provide the best chance of finding this cancer in its earliest stages.
As prostate cancer progresses, there are some signs of problems that could show up. They will occur in each individual in a different way and some may not experience any of them. Some of the same signs may resemble other medical problems or conditions besides prostate cancer. That is why it’s so important to consult with your doctor if you begin having any of these symptoms.
- Difficulty in having an erection
- Blood in the semen or urine
- Pain or burning while urinating
- Unable to urinate
- Interrupted flow of urination or weak flow
- Urinating often especially during the night hours
- Pain in the back, hips, or pelvis that won’t go away
The signs also may point to an enlarged prostate gland and not cancer. This condition known as benign prostate hyperplasia may need surgery or treatment with medications.
Who is at risk for prostate cancer? Men over 50 are diagnosed with prostate cancer more than men under that age. Most prostate diagnoses are in men over the age of 65. Age is a definite factor for getting prostate cancer. Race is a factor when deciding risk factor for prostate cancer. African-American men are more than twice as likely to have this cancer than white Caucasian men. Japanese and Chinese men have less of a risk if they stay in their native country. If they move to the United States, they have an increased risk of prostate cancer and possible death as a result.
A man’s diet can also be a risk factor for prostate cancer. If their diet consists of high fat meals, they have a greater risk than the man who sticks with a low-fat diet. Adding dietary fiber may decrease the progression of prostate cancer because it influences the circulating levels of testosterone and estradiol.
Another difference in our American diet and the Asian diet is that they eat much more soy products. The isoflavone, which is found in soy, inhibits the growth of prostate cancer according to several recent studies.
Antioxidants such as Vitamin E have been used to limit tumor growth in laboratory animals tested. Carotenoids containing lycopene also inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells in laboratory cultures. Lycopene are found in tomatoes and tomato products.
Obesity and environmental exposures also give men an increased risk factor. Studies show that farmers and men who work with welding, batteries, or electroplating develop prostate cancer easier. If they have had a vasectomy or a sexually transferred disease have a higher risk as well.
Genetic reasons may also play a role in men who develop prostate cancer. A family with a history of prostate cancer, or a family with three or more relatives with prostate cancer can also be at a higher risk. Five to ten percent of diagnosed prostate cancer is considered hereditary.
Men over the age of 50 are encouraged to have a prostate exam yearly. If they are in a high-risk group because of their race or family history, their doctor should be consulted about starting prostate screening at an earlier age. If the doctor detects something unusual in the tests performed in his office, he may want you to be tested at a medical facility. Other means of detection are a transrectal ultrasound, CAT scan, MRI, or a lymph node and prostate biopsy. Cancer can only be confirmed by a biopsy.
If you or a loved one is in a high-risk group, encourage them to contact their doctor and have a prostate screening. It could save their life!
Tags: medical problems, prostate cancer
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