What is prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer occurs when the cells of the prostate begin to grow uncontrollably. When caught and treated early, prostate cancer has a cure rate of over 90%.

Prostate cancer is diagnosed every 2 1/4 minutes, prostate cancer takes 1 life every 18 minutes. Over 234,460 new prostate cancer cases are expected in 2006. It is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in America among men. An estimated 27,350 American men will lose their lives to prostate cancer in 2006, down 10% from last year, due to earlier screening and new treatment approaches.

Almost 100% of men diagnosed with prostate cancer are still alive in 5 years, not including those who died from other causes. Over 90% of prostate cancer cases are found while the cancer is still either local or regional, and nearly 100% of these men are still alive 5 years after being diagnosed. After 10 years, about 97.9% of men diagnosed with early stage prostate cancer are still alive, but only 17.6% of those diagnosed with advanced stage prostate cancer survive 10 years.

Symptoms of prostate cancer.

There are no noticeable symptoms of prostate cancer while it is still in the early stages. In order to find prostate cancer in its most treatable form, it must be caught before symptoms appear. In more advanced stages, symptoms may include difficult or frequent urination, blood in the urine or bone pain.

Quality or quantity changes of semen, pain on ejaculation, loss of potency or libido, frequent urination at night, difficulty starting or incomplete urinating should be discussed with a primary care physician.

Some men get prostate cancer because of changes to their DNA. DNA makes up our genes, which control how cells behave. DNA is inherited from our parents. A small percentage (about 5% to 10%) of prostate cancers are linked to such changes. Here are some other risk factors of prostate cancer.

1. Risk of prostate cancer increases with age. Prostate cancer is rare for men under the age of 40, and most cases occur in men over the age of 65.
2. Men with a father or brother with prostate cancer are 2x as likely to get the disease. Men with 3 relatives diagnosed with prostate cancer are almost guaranteed to get it.
3. African American men have a 60% higher risk of getting prostate cancer than white men, and 2x the risk of dying from it. Hispanic men have a risk of getting prostate cancer similar to the general population, but rates of death due to the disease have not declined over recent years as they have for Caucasian and African American men.
4. Veterans of Asian Theaters (Vietnam and Korea) who were exposed to Agent Orange are at increased risk.
5. Obese men those with a body mass index of over 32.5 - are 33% more likely to die from prostate cancer if diagnosed

Prostate Cancer Treatment

There are many areas to think about when choosing the best way to treat or manage prostate cancer, and there may be several treatments to choose from. Time is needed to absorb the information, and getting a second opinion, especially if there are several treatments to choose from is a good idea. Weigh the benefits of each treatment against its possible drawbacks, side effects, and risks.

Surgery, radiation, and hormone therapy are the most common treatments for prostate cancer. Chemotherapy may be used in some cases, and watchful waiting, though not an active form of treatment, may be an option for some men.