Prostate Cancer Survivors
The statistics on prostate cancer survived are based on two rates-the 5 year or 10-year. The 5-year rate is for men diagnosed that have been 5 years after the cancer was first found. The 10-year rate is for men diagnosed that have 10 years after the cancer was first found.
From the opinion of many doctors and researchers, prostate cancer starts with Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia(PIN). PIN is a condition that manipulates the structure of the prostate gland cells. PIN is documented to begin around the age of 20. Most cases of prostate cancer originate in the glandular cells. Glandular cells involve the secretion of seminal fluid.
It has been reported that men over 50 have a 50% chance of having PIN. If the cancer has been located in the local area (only in the prostate area), the survival rate is nearly 100%. If the cancer is located in the regional area (the cancer is seen in other areas), then the survival rate is about 34%.
Depending on the type of treatment used for prostate cancer, the rates of survival may be different. If the cancer was located in the prostate and near surrounding organs and the Gleason grade was around 6, the survival rate is 95% and does not matter if surgery or external beam radiation therapy was used.
After a male is treated for prostate cancer, medical professionals continue to provide care for the individuals road to recovery.
Patients should be concerned about diet and nutrition. Because of treatment, patients may experience problems with nausea and weight loss. Meeting with a cancer specialized dietitian can provide a dietary plan to follow while the person is going through treatment.
Getting into a modified exercise regimen can help the patient regain some strength during the recovery press.
Once a patient has received treatment(surgery, radiation, hormone) for prostate cancer, the patient can make a decision as to whether to enroll in a clinical trial. The patient’s medical providers can give information about what clinical trials are active and the benefits and risks associated with the trial. The risks of a clinical trial include: shutting down the trial due to lack of enrollment or response, will the treatment be effective, and could the medication cause problems. Medication issues are always described because there is always the possibility of interactions but this could happen with any medication. Patients will be asked to complete a form to allow treatment by the research facility. At any time, patients have the right to stop participating in the clinical trial.
There are two organizations that offer a comprehensive list on current prostate cancer clinical trials: the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute. Each organization provides patients and their caregivers the opportunity to research about clinical trials and aid in deciding on whether a clinical trial is right for them.
Prostate cancer survivors can benefit from the opportunity of joining a support group or online forums. There are a wide variety of choices on support groups or online forums designed to the meet the needs of patients, family members and caregivers. These choices range from treatment discussions, sharing “their” fight with cancer story with another patient, family member and caregiver, diet plans, and updates on medications and research. There are national and international support groups throughout the world. The American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute primarily focus on cancer in the United States but there are international groups like the US Too International Prostate Cancer Education and Support Network.
Smaller, local support groups set up near the treatment center offer a chance to speak to another prostate cancer survivor. This opportunity gives patients the ability to talk with someone about their experiences and gain support when they need it the most.
Online forums give prostate cancer survivors the ability to blog about their treatment and how they doing with other survivors. A blog that recently hit the online community was the ProstateCancerBlog.
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