Detecting and Testing for Prostrate Cancer

The fact that so little information is known about what actually causes prostrate cancer most of today’s researchers cannot offer any advice to truly prevent this type of cancer from forming. Some scientists believe that a less fatty diet with a reduction in red meats and dairy products combined with more of an intake of fresh fruits and vegetables may (as it does in the case of heart illness, diabetes and strokes) reduce the risk of prostrate cancer in males. Some also suggest a diet rich in vitamin E and a trace mineral known as selenium will also reduce the risks of developing prostrate cancer but this has not been proven yet.

Most men tend to avoid the topic of prostrate cancer and so the majority has no idea what the possible signs and symptoms are until they are diagnosed. Unfortunately there are few prostrate cancer symptoms in the early stages of the disease. In fact, while the cancer is contained within the prostrate gland the patient may not experience any pain or discomfort. The most common complaint though is trouble urinating and if this happens it is advisable to consult with your family doctor as soon as possible.

Like all major illnesses and disease the chances of a successful treatment and possible cure increases dramatically with early detection. Survival chances are increased considerably if it is diagnosed before it spreads out of the prostrate gland and into other areas of the body. Once it has spread it is often hard to treat and could be fatal.

The best way to determine if a person has prostrate cancer is through a cancer screening process. There are currently two common types that are used for early detection, the first is known as a PSA blood test and the other is a digital rectal exam or DRE. When the blood is tested high in levels of the protein that is known as PSA it is considered an indicator of prostrate problems and often prostrate cancer. If the tests do come back showing PSA high levels than the doctor may do further testing such as the DRE.

Although the DRE is often stressful and sometimes uncomfortable it can usually done fairly quickly in the doctor’s office by your family doctor. The doctor must probe inside the rectum feeling for any firm areas that will be indicative of a growth or tumor. In the early states of prostrate cancer the cancer is often in an area that the doctor can find easily and often he can also detect other types of rectal tumors while doing a DRE. During the course of the PSA and DRE if the doctor does encounter signs of prostrate cancer then it will be necessary to do more testing. A biopsy will be required to confirm the prostrate cancer diagnosis and this also can usually be done in the doctor’s office. The process will entail removal of a minute sample of the prostrate tissue with the use of a thin needle by the doctor. The biopsy procedure again is very brief and will take about thirty minutes to complete. This sample will then be sent to a lab to be studied under magnification to see if cancer cells are active in the tissue.

The actual testing of the biopsy samples will determine the extent of the malignant cells in the tissue, what grade the cancer may be, and to what stage the cancer may have spread throughout the rest of the body. The rate the cancer is spreading is determined by the grade of the cancer and one that is spreading rapidly is referred to as an aggressive cancer. Your doctor may also order further tests such as bone scans, CT or CAT scans and even biopsies of the lymph nodes. It is only then that a treatment plan can be charted.

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