Prostate Cancer: An Overview

An overview of prostate cancer, including its symptoms, causes and treatments.

Simply put, prostate cancer is an overgrowth of cells located within the prostate. This overgrowth leads to tumors, which are often cancerous. It is the second most common non-skin cancer in America. One out of every six men is affected by it. According to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, 186,000 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2008. 28,000 of them died. A man is diagnosed with prostate cancer every 2.5 minutes, and every 19 minutes a man dies from it

Like many cancers, the earlier prostate cancer is diagnosed, the better the survival rate is. It is important to recognize the symptoms of prostate cancer. Some common symptoms that may indicate an issue with prostate cancer are:

* Frequent urination - especially at night

* Difficulty starting or holding urine

* Interrupted or slow urine flow

* Burning or painful urination

* Difficulty having an erection

* Painful ejaculation

* Blood in semen or urine

* Pain or stiffness in upper thighs, hips or lower back

These symptoms can be indicative of other problems as well, so be sure to see a physician as soon as possible.

Diagnosis is made via a biopsy of the prostate. During this procedure, a needle is inserted into the prostate, guided by ultra-sound. Tissue is removed and reviewed microscopically to determine if cancer is present. If it is, it is staged like most cancers. Prostate cancer stages include local, where the cancer is confined to the prostate, local advanced, where it is mostly contained in the prostate, but has begun moving into surrounding tissue, and metastatic, where the cancer has begun to infiltrate other tissue and organs.

Once a diagnosis of prostate cancer is reached, it is important to begin treatment as soon as possible. There is no one course of treatment that works for everyone, different treatments are used on different patients. Doctors generally prescribe a combination of therapies to treat prostate cancer. By working together with an urologist, a radiation oncologist and a medical oncologist, a treatment plan will be developed and will consist of one or more of the following: surgery, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, and chemotherapy, and emergent therapies.

It is estimated that there are two million men living with prostate cancer in the United States. Knowing the early signs and symptoms of prostate cancer is imperative for a timely diagnosis and treatment.

http://www.prostatecancerfoundation.org/site/pp.asp?c=itIWK2OSG&b=4640