by Prostate cancer is cancer that occurs in the prostate gland of men. The prostate gland is a small walnut-sized gland that produces semen, which transports sperm.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men and it generally grows sluggishly and is originally confined to the prostate where it doesn’t bring about any serious damage If prostate cancer is diagnosed early (when it is confined to the prostate), treatment is more likely to be successful.
Any abnormality of the prostate gland is not necessarily prostate cancer.
Symptoms of Prostate Cancer
(What are the warning signs of prostate cancer?)
Different symptoms of cancer are found in different people. Some men do not have any symptoms. Some of the symptoms of this cancer are:
- Difficulty initiating urination
- Obstructed urine flow
- Frequent urination, especially at night
- Difficulty emptying the bladder,
- pain in the hips or pelvis that does not improve,
- pain in ejaculation
If any symptoms appear, see your doctor. Note that these symptoms can also be caused by an abnormality other than cancer.
Causes of Prostate Cancer
It is not clear what causes prostate cancer. Doctors know a lot that, this cancer begins with abnormalities in certain cells of the prostate.
Mutations in the DNA of abnormal cells cause these cells to grow and divide more quickly than normal cells. Because of this abnormal cells survive and others are destroyed.
These abnormal cells form a tumor that grows and attacks the surrounding tissue. Some abnormal cells can grow and spread to other parts of the body.
The factors that increase the risk of prostate cancer:
Older age – The risk of getting prostate cancer also increases with age.
Genetic problems – If you have or have had prostate cancer or breast cancer in your family, you are at a higher risk of developing prostate cancer.
Obesity – Men who are obese are more likely to develop this disease which becomes difficult to treat.
Types of Prostate Cancer
The type of prostate cancer determines which cell cancer has started. There are the following types of prostate cancers:
- Acinar adenocarcinoma – Adenocarcinomas are cancers that form in the glandular cells of the prostate and it is the most common type among the other types. Almost every patient with prostate cancer gets this type of cancer.
- Ductal adenocarcinoma – forms in the cells of the tubules of the prostate. It spreads more quickly than acinar adenocarcinoma.
- Transitional cell cancer – It forms in the cells of the tube that carries urine out of the body (urethra). Transitional cell cancer typically starts in the bladder and spreads to the prostate.
- Squamous cell cancer – This cancer forms in the flat cells (cells) that cover the prostate.
- Small Cell Prostate Cancer – This cancer forms from small round cells.
Prevention of Prostate Cancer
The chances of getting prostate cancer can be reduced by taking care of the following things :
Healthy Diet – Eat more fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables provide many vitamins and minerals which are good for health. Do not consume fatty food. Whether you can prevent prostate cancer through diet is not fully proven. But a healthy diet helps in improving the overall health condition.
Exercise – Exercise enhances health. It has been found that men who do not exercise have higher PSA levels while men who exercise have a lower risk of it.
Maintain a healthy weight – Men who are overweight have an increased risk of any disease. Try to keep your weight healthy.
Medications – Certain drugs may be given to reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Medication should not be taken without the doctor’s advice.
Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer
Doctors diagnose prostate cancer through a physical examination, health status, and other tests.
Digital Rectal Exam – This is a common test to examine the prostate. The prostate is an internal organ so it cannot be seen directly. To do this, the doctor examines by inserting a finger through the rectum to see if any solid lumps are felt.
Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) – PSA is a protein made in the prostate. PSA is checked by a blood test.
Prostate Biopsy – A small part of the prostate is removed and examined for biopsy. If you’ve had a prostate biopsy, you’re given a “Gleason score.” The score indicates which category the pathologist (pathologist) has classified prostate cancer cells into.
Other tests – The doctor may also ask you to have other tests, such as an MRI or CT scan.
Stages of Prostate Cancer
Doctors usually find out the ‘stage’ of cancer by using the above-mentioned tests. The treatment technique to be used is decided by the stage of cancer.
The stages of prostate cancer can be as follow:
Stage 1 – The cancer is very small and attached to the prostate.
Stage 2 – The cancer is in the prostate itself but the size is large.
Stage 3 – Cancer has spread outside the prostate and may have spread to the tubes that carry semen.
Stage 4 – Cancer has spread to lymph nodes or any other part of the body; About 20-30% of the situations are of this stage.
Treatment
There are several types of prostate cancer treatment such as :
- surgery,
- radiation therapy and
- hormone therapy.
You and your doctor will decide which method of treatment is right for you depending on your situation.
Some common treatments are:
Proactive Monitoring – This involves monitoring prostate cancer closely with regular prostate-specific antigen tests and digital rectal exams. Treatment is done only if cancer starts to grow or shows symptoms.
Surgery – Prostatectomy is an operation to remove the prostate. In a radical prostatectomy, the prostate is removed along with the surrounding tissue. Radiation therapy – In this, radiation therapy, high-energy rays are used to kill cancer.
Hormone therapy – In this, the hormones that help cancer cells to grow are blocked from reaching the cancer cells.
Other techniques for the treatment of prostate cancer that are still being investigated are:
- Cryotherapy – in which a specific probe is placed in or near the prostate cancer to freeze and destroy the cancer cells.
- Chemotherapy – The cancer is used to shrink or destroy cancer. Medicines can also be given in the form of tablets and can also be given intravenously or given either way.
- Biological therapy – It helps fight cancer by working with the body’s immune system and also controls the effects of other cancer treatments. Effects mean the response of the body to any treatment or medicine.
- High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound – This method uses high-energy sound waves to destroy cancer cells.
Complications
Prostate cancer complications can be:
Spread to other organs – Prostate cancer can spread to other organs such as the bladder or can spread to bones or other organs by going into the bloodstream or lymph system. If prostate cancer spreads to the bones, it can cause severe pain and can break or damage the bones. Once cancer has spread to other organs, it can be treated and controlled, but it is difficult to cure completely.
Urinary Incontinence – Prostate cancer with its treatment can cause urinary incontinence.
Erectile dysfunction – Prostate cancer or its treatment can cause erectile dysfunction.
Some FAQ
- What to avoid eating during prostate cancer?
Avoid consuming the following foods:
- red and processed meats
- fatty dairy products
- Liquor
- saturated fat foods
2. What food to eat during prostate cancer treatment?
Your diet should be healthy and the following things need to be taken care of during the treatment of prostate cancer:
- Your diet should be predominantly planted (i.e., vegetarian) based.
- Eat more fruits (such as pomegranates, grapes, apples, oranges, etc.) and vegetables (such as carrots, tomatoes, mushrooms, broccoli, cabbage, etc.).
- Diet should be fiber-rich.
- Minimize the intake of fat-rich food.
- Try to reduce the amount of sugar to very low
(Disclaimer: The information in this part of the article is for educational purposes only. All results must be clinically correlated with patient data in order to make an accurate diagnosis.)
References :
- Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia ; What you need to know about prostate cancer
- National Cancer Institute. Bethesda (MD): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Prostate Cancer—Patient Version
- National Cancer Institute. Bethesda (MD): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Treatment Choices for Men With Early-Stage Prostate Cancer
