Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed non-skin cancer and overcomes lung cancer because major cancers affect all men and secondary to colorectal cancer.
Statistically, 80% of them occur in men over 65 years of age . This cancer can also occur in young people, but rarely under the age of 50. As the age of men progresses, the prostate may cause problems.
Every year, one of the six American men will develop it throughout his lifetime. I could hardly understand the fact that the likelihood of developing prostate cancer is 33% higher for women than for breast cancer.
In 2004, 234,000 new cases of prostate cancer diagnosed in the US are estimated. It is the most common cancer among American men next to skin cancer. It is estimated that more than 27,000 deaths from prostate cancer will occur each year.
One new case every 2 minutes 30 seconds. One new case every 150 seconds.
About 35,000 people in the UK are diagnosed and about 10,000 people die each year. This means that one man per hour will die in the UK.
Today, about 2 million men are fighting with prostate cancer, and in the next 10 years, when a baby boomer male reaches the target aging age of prostate cancer, about 3 million will join the battle Let's see. By 2012, the number of new cases in the US is projected to increase to more than 300,000 each year by 2012.
One new case every 100 seconds. The death of one person every 13 minutes.
What is prostate?
The prostate is a male gonad, which is the size of the walnut, located behind the pubic bone in front of the rectum surrounding the lower part of the bladder. The urine carrying tube (urethra) penetrates the prostate gland. At birth, the size of the gland is small like peas, and grows until 20 years old when men become adults. Male hormones (called androgens) are the cause of this growth. The size of the glands does not change until 45 it begins to grow again.
Its main function is to help produce thick body fluids that nourish sperm and to promote sperm from the penis through the urethra to reach eggs and fertilize eggs. The prostate is not a major component of the urinary tract but it is very important for urological health.
In elderly men, a part of the prostate around the urethra may continue to grow. This causes BPH (benign prostatic hypertrophy) and causes problems in shedding urine. BPH is a problem that requires treatment, but it is not cancer.
What is prostate cancer?
The body consists of various types of cells. Usually, cells proliferate, divide and die. Sometimes the cells mutate, grow and begin to divide faster than usual. Instead of dying, these abnormal cells together form a tumor. If these tumors are cancerous or malignant, they can invade and kill healthy tissues in the body. From these tumors, cancer cells can metastasize (form new tumors in other parts of the body). In contrast, non-cancerous tumors or so-called benign tumors do not spread to other parts of the body.
Abnormal cells grow from controls that form small nodules or bumps (overgrowth tissue) on the surface of the prostate. In some cases, the hyperproliferative tissue is benign and the condition of the prostate is, Benign prostatic hypertrophy ( BPH ). At other times, abnormal cancer cells characterize tissue hyperproliferation, which is called malignant or prostate cancer.
Prostate disorders interfere with urination and can cause bladder and kidney problems. Also, because it may interfere with sexual function, it is located right next to the nerve that causes the erection.
More than 70% of all cases are diagnosed in men over the age of 65, but all men over the age of 50 need PSA and rectal examinations. According to statistics of African Americans, the incidence of prostate cancer is nearly twice as high as that of Caucasus American, and since it is necessary to start testing at the age of 40,
Family history.
One-third of men over the age of 50 have several cancer cells in the prostate, and men over the age of 80 have few prostate cancer. In most men, these cancers prolifer very slowly, in particular elderly men, and do not cause any problems. Even without treatment, many of them will not die of prostate cancer, but before the illness comes to life it dies alive by other unrelated cause.
However, as with most types of cancer, prostate cancer that has not been fully tested is aggressive and grows more quickly and has the potential to metastasize (metastasize) to other parts of the body, particularly lymph nodes or bones There is. This makes treatment much more difficult.
What is the symptom?
Prostate cancer often does not cause symptoms for years. When symptoms appear, regular cancer cells spread beyond the prostate gland, so regular checks are required for men over the age of 40 and are recommended. Symptoms include the following:
- Urine problem:
- Dull pain in the lower pelvic region, buttocks or thighs
- I can not urinate
- Feeling that your bladder is not empty
- Struggling to start or stop urine flow
- Urgency of urination and problem of onset
- Frequent urination, especially at night
- Weak flow of urine
- Starting and stopping urine flow
- Pain and burning during urination
- Erectile difficulty
- Pain during ejaculation
- Genital pain
- Blood in urine and semen
Who is in danger?
Risk factors consistently associated with prostate cancer include,
- age: After 50 years of age, opportunities to develop it will increase. More than 80% of all occur in men over the age of 65.
- race: African American men have a 60% higher risk than Caucasian men including Hispanic men
- Ethnicity: It is more common in North America and Northwest Europe and occurs less frequently in Asia, Africa, Central America and South America.
- Family history: It seems to have a genetic association. Because of the family history of prostate cancer, the father or sibling of this disease will double the risk of a man developing it. A man whose older brother was suffering from prostate cancer had a 4.5 times higher risk and 2.5 times higher risk if the father had it.
- Vasectomy: Men who have undergone vasectomy have a high risk.
- Men suffering from diabetes are less susceptible to disease, but no one knows why.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the best way to reduce the risk of all forms of cancer.
- Diet: The results of most studies indicate that animal fats are high and that intake of fresh fruits and vegetables is small, it is more likely to develop prostate cancer.
- Research suggests that lycopene (seen at high levels of colorful fruits and vegetables), selenium, gojiberry, broccoli, turmeric meals may reduce risk.
- Movement: Maintaining healthy weight with regular physical activity may reduce risk.
- The regularly scheduled bedtime is important for overall health.
There are three general screening methods.
- Digital rectal exam (DRE) Digital rectal examination as part of an annual physical examination for men over the age of 50 (and young men with high risk). During this test, the doctor gloves and inserts a lubricated finger into the rectum and feels abnormal. Rectal examination may be slightly uncomfortable, but it will be done quickly.
- Blood test of prostate specific antigen (PSA) PSA is a blood test that measures protein of prostate cells. We recommend that the American Cancer Society perform once a year for men over the age of 50 and young men with high prostate cancer risk.
Grades under the age of 4 are usually considered normal. Results exceeding 10 are considered high. Values between 4 and 10 are considered boundaries. The higher the PSA level, the higher the likelihood of prostate cancer.
It is not possible to use it as an absolute examination, as it is necessary to further validate the examination using a biopsy such as PSA examination.
- Two of the three men with high PSA levels do not show cancer cells in prostate biopsy.
- One out of five prostate cancer patients will have normal PSA results.
- Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) If digital rectal examination or PSA level is abnormal, TRUS is done. A probe is inserted into the rectum, and an image is recorded by using a sound wave for generating an image of the prostate gland. Inspections are usually made outpatient, usually within 30 minutes. Based on the results of these screenings, additional tests may be recommended.
To check the diagnosis, a positive biopsy is required. If cancer is evident in biopsy, an additional test will be done to see if it is spreading to other organs:
- Blood test - It may be taken to see if the cancer is spreading
- Bone scan - Determine if cancer has spread to bone
- CT scan - A series of X-ray images taken from the pelvis or abdomen. Often used to determine general signs of disease
- Chest x-ray Determine if cancer has spread to the lungs
- MRI - Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Detecting Cancer of Lymph Nodes and Other Internal Organs
There are several treatments for the treatment of prostate cancer: surgery, radiotherapy, various treatments. Hormonal therapy is commonly used. This blocks the action of testosterone, a sexual hormone required for prostate cancer to develop.
Three treatment options are generally accepted for localized men
prostate:
- Radical prostatectomy : Surgical procedures to remove the entire prostate and nearby tissues. In some cases, lymph nodes in the pelvic region are also removed. This procedure is performed using neurosis surgery to prevent damage to the nerve necessary for erection. However, surgery to save nerves is not always possible.
- Radiation therapy : Use energy to the prostate using an external radiation beam. High-risk prostate cancer patients are candidates to add hormone therapy to standard radiation therapy.
- Active surveillance It may be a recommended option for patients with early stage prostate cancer, especially low-grade tumors with small amounts of cancer seen in biopsies.
As with all diseases, treatment may cause side effects. The most concerned side-effects are impotence, or erectile dysfunction and incontinence.
Researchers do not fully understand the cause of prostate cancer and the mechanism of its development, and it is urgent to improve the current treatment regimen.
