Prostatic Cancer

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The prostate is an exocrine gland found only in the male body. It is located in the pelvic area between the rectum and the bladder, and it surrounds part of the urethra. The function of the prostate is to secrete an HYPERLINK “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Base_(chemistry)” o “Base (chemistry)” alkaline white-colored fluid that constitutes about 30% of the volume of the HYPERLINK “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semen” o “Semen” semen along with HYPERLINK “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spermatozoa” o “Spermatozoa” spermatozoa and HYPERLINK “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seminal_vesicle” o “Seminal vesicle” seminal vesicle fluid. It is normally about the size of a walnut in younger men, but grows as men get past the age of fifty.

Sometimes, cells in the prostate undergo a transformation and start to grow out of control. When these abnormal cells grow, they can form a mass called a tumor. Some tumors are benign, which means they do not invade nearby tissues. Malignant cancerous tumors can spread into other tissues. If cancer cells spread into other areas of the body, that process is called metastasis. Malignant cancer cells take oxygen and other nutrients that healthy cells need to grow and function. In the United States, cancer of the prostate is a common form of cancer among men, and is diagnosed in about 200,000 men every year, and results in the death of about 30,000 men per year. Prostate cancer affects twice as many African-American men as white men.

The first signs of a tumor in the prostate can be difficulty urinating, painful urination, or erectile sexual dysfunction (the inability to get or maintain an erection). A tumor in the prostate gland, whether it is benign or malignant, can interfere with both the urinary tract system, as well as normal sexual functioning. Doctors perform examinations to search for prostate cancer which include blood tests, the first sign of cancer may be in increase in levels of the protein: prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Normal levels are less than 4ng/mL (nanograms per milliliter) and higher levels might require further tests to determine if cancer is present.

If high levels of prostate-specific antigen have been found in the blood tests, then the doctor will locate the tumor and perform a biopsy. He does this by cutting out a tiny section of tissue from the area and sending it to a laboratory for tests. The results of the tests will show if the tumor is malignant or not, and show the type of the cancer. These results allow the doctor to rate the tumor according to medically recognized stages, which take into consideration the tumor’s size, speed of growth, and whether or not it has spread to other areas of the body. Depending on what stage of development the tumor is in, treatment will be prescribed. In older men, tumors tend to be so slow growing that they do not represent a serious health threat. In this case, treatment may not be recommended, but the patient’s condition should be monitored for any changes in the tumor or the spread of the cancer.

Treatment depends on the stage that the cancer is in. Cancers that are in early stages are treated with one or more of the following: surgery, cryosurgery, external beam radiation therapy (EBRT), internal radiation therapy (brachytherapy), or hormone therapy. Cancers that are in late stages are generally treated without surgery because the cancer has spread to surrounding tissues and is not in an area which can be removed. These stages can be treated by other forms of treatment such as external or internal radiation and/or hormone therapy. Side effects of these treatments can include diarrhea, irritated bowels, fatigue and painful urination, but these are generally temporary. There are other side effects which can be longer lasting such as urinary incontinence (the inability to hold the urine in) and impotence (the inability to get an erection). New research in the treatment of prostate cancer may prevent these side effects in the future.

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