Subscribe Feed (RSS)Nurse’s Report - What You Need To Know About Prostate Cancer And Its Treatment
May 22nd, 2008 by admin | Filed under Uncategorized.Like other cancers, the cause of prostate cancer is not known; it appears to be more common in African American men and men with a family history of the disease. About one man in six will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime, but only one man in 34 will die of the disease.
The prostate gland is located directly beneath the bladder and in front of the rectum. The prostate gland is part of the male reproductive system. It’s estimated that approximately 234,460 men in the U.S. will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year, and approximately 27,350 will die of the disease. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among men in the U.S.
Having one or more cancer symptoms does not necessarily mean that you have prostate cancer. Weak or interrupted flow of urine and painful or burning urination can be symptoms to watch out for. One symptom is a need to urinate frequently, especially at night.
There are several symptoms to be aware of. One of the most common symptoms is the inability to urinate at all. Other symptoms might include unintentional weight loss and lethargy.
A bone scan can indicate whether the cancer has spread or not. A PSA test with a high level can also be from a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland. There is a newer test called AMACR that is more sensitive than the PSA test for determining the presence of prostate cancer.
Your doctor may use either one or two of the most common tests for prostate cancer detection. A urinalysis may indicate if there is blood in the urine. When a digital rectal exam is performed it often reveals an enlarged prostate with a hard, irregular surface.
Besides hormonal drugs, hormone manipulation may also be done by surgically removing the testes. The approaches to treatment include: ever watchful waiting to see whether the cancer is growing slowly and not causing any symptoms. Thoroughly discuss your treatment options and concerns with your doctor and other health professionals; it never hurts to get a second or even third opinion or more if necessary.
Be aware that some men chose natural treatment options and forgo any surgery, radiation or chemotherapy. Surgery is usually only recommended after thorough evaluation and discussion of all available treatment options. Hormone manipulation is mainly used as a treatment to relieve symptoms in men whose cancer has spread.
Medicines can be used to adjust the levels of testosterone; called hormonal manipulation. Radiation therapy to the prostate gland is either external or internal, both of which use high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Prostate cancer that has spread (metastasized) may be treated conventionally with drugs to reduce testosterone levels, surgery to remove the testes, chemotherapy or nothing at all.
Medications can have many side effects, including hot flashes and loss of sexual desire. Urinary incontinence can be a possible complication of surgery. Whether radiation is as good as removal of the prostate is debatable and the decision about which to choose, if any, can be difficult.
Surgery, called a radical prostatectomy, removes the entire prostate gland and some of the surrounding tissues. An oncology specialist will usually recommend treating with a single drug or a combination of drugs.
Just about all men with prostate cancer survive at least five years after their diagnosis, 93% survive at least 10 years, and 67% survive more than 15 years. If you do choose invasive conventional treatment, you can always change your diet and do non-invasive natural treatments too. With the advent of PSA testing, most prostate cancers are now found before they cause any symptoms.
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Tags: chemotherapy, prostate cancer
