Oncology & Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is known to develop in the prostate, which is a gland in the male reproductive system. Cancerous cells from the prostrate may potentially metastasize (i.e. spread) from prostrate to other parts of the body including the bones and lymph nodes. This is a slow growing cancer which in majority of cases, does not present with symptoms for early detection and preventive measures. Prostate cancer treatment options for most cases involve surgery, chemotherapy, cryotherapy, hormonal therapy and/or radiation, performed and managed by doctors known as oncologists.
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About Prostate Cancer
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Cancer is the abnormal growth of cells in the body, which makes prostrate cancer the uncontrolled, abnormal growth of cells in the prostrate. Prostrate is a gland in the male reproductive system responsible for the production and storage of seminal fluid.
The prostrate is made of different types of cell but it is the gland cells that are most prone to cancer. The medical term for cancer in gland cells is adenocarcinoma thus from a technical viewpoint, cancer in the prostrate is medically referred to as prostrate (or prostatic) adenocarcinoma.
Symptoms
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Prostrate cancer has no distinct warning signs. It is only a malignant tumor that causes the prostrate gland to swell; the symptoms noticed by the patient include frequent urination, difficulty in urination, an interrupted urinary stream, burning sensation during urination or presence of blood in urine or semen.
Advanced stages of prostrate cancer present itself with more serious symptoms like loss of weight and appetite accompanied with fatigue and nausea, swelling of the lower extremities and discomfort in the the pelvis, upper thighs and lower back.
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Causes
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While the specific causes of prostrate cancer remain unknown, it is uncommon to be found in men younger than 45. The average age for patients with prostrate cancer is 70, which implies aging to be a major factor. Some other common causes include genetic predisposition, diet and exposure to certain types of medications.
Diagnosis
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Tests to examine the prostrate and blood are used to detect prostrate cancer. These tests also help in establishing the stage of of the cancer, thus effecting treatment options for the patient. The tests used are digital rectal exam (DRE) that is an exam of the rectum, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test that measures the level of PSA in the blood (high levels of PSA could be a warning sign for patients), transrectal ultrasound and biopsy i.e., a sample of the cancerous cells are removed surgically for examination by a pathologist.
Treatment
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The treatment options for patients with prostrate cancer depend largely on the age and overall health of the patient. For tumors still inside the prostrate, radiation therapy accompanied with a surgery called radical prostatectomy is commonly recommended by surgical oncologists. An approach known commonly know as "watchful waiting" is also considered to be a treatment option where doctors advise patients against any invasive procedures given the likelihood of their aging bodies to succumb to other conditions.
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