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Prostate Cancer
The prostate gland is located at the base of the bladder and is about the size of a walnut. Click on this link for more information about the prostate and its location. Prostate cancer is a malignant (cancerous) tumor that grows in the prostate gland. The symptoms of prostate cancer are similar to those of other diseases of the prostate, including pelvic and back pain, urinary complications, abdominal pain, and aching testicles. According to the American Cancer Society, about 10% of men in the United States will develop prostate cancer at some time in their life, and 40,000 men die each year due to it in the U.S. alone. Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer (besides skin cancer) in males living in the United States (Crooks et al. 135).Risk Factors
There are a few factors that are known to be associated with the development of prostate cancer. These are: old age, diets high in saturated fat, a family history of prostate cancer, and previous sexually transmitted diseases. (Crooks et al. 135). Smoking has also been linked to a higher risk of developing prostate cancer. For unknown reasons, African American men have the highest incidence of prostate cancer and they have a poorer survival rate than white American men.
Diagnosis
Prostate cancer may be diagnosed in any of three ways. First, a doctor may do a digital rectal examination, in which the physician inserts a finger into to rectum to feel the prostate gland and check for abnormalities. This procedure is only mildly uncomfortable for most men, and it may also detect colon or rectal cancer.
Transrectal ultrasound is a second procedure used to detect prostate cancer. This method allows doctors to view an image of the prostate and check for abnormalities. These two methods are equally capable of detecting prostate cancer. A third method involves a blood test for prostate-specific antigen (PSA). This test is useful in diagnosing early prostate cancer by detecting a genetic marker for prostate cancer. Although most men would prefer this blood test to a rectal exam, it should be used in conjunction with a rectal exam because it is less accurate.
Many men are hesitant to be tested for prostate cancer because of the rectal examination. However, because prostate cancer affects so many men, it is essential that men get tested regularly especially if they have any of the risk factors.
Treatment
There are several treatments available for prostate cancer. Surgery, radiation therapy, and/or hormone therapy are treatments common to prostate cancer as well as various other cancers. Two types of surgical procedures available are radical prostatectomy, where the entire prostate gland is removed, and partial prostatectomy, where only the cancerous portions of the prostate are removed through the urethra. A third option is cryoprostatectomy, in which the cancerous cells are killed by freezing. In older men, the risks of surgery often outweigh the potential benefits; and in these situations, doctors often defer treatment and watch the cancer for any changes. If it is a slow growing cancer, treatment may not be needed.
Other Websites with Information on Prostate Cancer
For general information on prostate cancer visit:
http://cancer.med.upenn.edu/disease/prostate/
The American Cancer Society’s prostate cancer website:
http://www3.cancer.org/cancerinfo/load_cont.asp?ct=36
Sources Cited
Baur, Karla and Crooks, Robert. Our Sexuality 7th edition. Brooks/Cole Publishing
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