The prostate is a gland of the male reproductive system that produces some
of the fluid for semen, which transports sperm during the male orgasm.
The prostrate is normally quite small, about the same size and shape as a
chestnut. It is located in front of the rectum, just below the bladder, and
wraps around the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder out
through the tip of the penis. It is composed of approximately 70% glandular
tissue, the remainder is muscular.
How Common is Prostate Cancer?
Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed non-skin cancer in the United
States, and is second only to lung cancer in
the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among men. A non-smoking man is
more likely to get prostate cancer than lung, bronchus, colon, rectal, bladder,
lymphoma, melanoma, oral and kidney cancers combined. It is estimated that
there are over 2 million American men currently living with prostate cancer.
Who gets it?
Age, ethnicity, and family history are its only well established
risk-factors. High dietary fat intake is being looked at as another risk
factor, and considered fact by some, but more research is needed for a cohesive
conclusion to be accepted across the board of medical science.
Men over the age of 65 account for more than 70% of all prostate cancers.
For unknown reasons, African-American men are 65% more likely to be diagnosed
with prostate cancer, and more than twice as likely to die from it.
Is it Detectable and Treatable?
Early prostate cancer is detected through screening tests such as the PSA
blood test and digital rectal exam. There are no symptoms commonly associated
with the early stages
Later Stage symptoms include:
Frequent urination
(especially at night)
Weak urinary stream
Pain or burning during
urination
Blood in the urine
Interruption of urinary
stream
Inability to urinate
Late Stage general symptoms include those as well as significant pain in one
or more bones. This chronic pain occurs most often in the spine, but sometimes
appears in the lower back, hips, upper legs, and/or pelvis. Significant weight
loss may also occur.
A wide array of treatments for prostate cancer have been developed including
surgery, radiation, hormone deprivation therapy, chemotherapy, dietary changes
and the use of various herbal supplements. Deciding which of these treatments
to select is a difficult decision. Prostate cancer is a complex disease that
acts different men in different ways. You will want to weigh the benefits of
each treatment against its possible outcomes, side effects, and risks. The
treatment you choose for prostate cancer should take into account:
the stage and grade of
your cancer
your current health
your feelings about the
side effects associated with each treatment
expected life span and
your age
the chances given to
each treatment as being curative
You may want to get a second opinion about the best treatment option for
your situation, especially if there are several choices available to you.
Is it Preventable?
Being that age, ethnicity, and family history are all risk factors beyond
your control, the best protection a man can offer himself is to take good care
of his body and get regular screenings. The best age to start annual screening
is under debate, but everyone agrees that men between the ages of 50 and 70
should be offered annual screening. Men with a family history of prostate
cancer and all African-American men should consider annual screenings at about
40.
Is it Survivable?
And if you find yourself in the percentage of men destined to fight this
illness, take comfort in knowing that prostate cancer survivors enjoy a
relatively high survival rate, due to the nature of its slow growth. For all
stages of diagnosis, the 10-year survival rate is 86%, and the 15-year survival
rate is 56% (ACS Cancer Facts and Figures, 2004). And there’s no reason why you
can’t be the guy who beats it and lives to be 100.