overview about prostate cancer

Little Did We Know That Prostate Cancer is the Most Common Non-Skin Cancer Amongst Men Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed non-skin cancer, has overtaken lung cancer as the leading cancer affecting all men and followed by colorectal cancer.Statistically, 80 percent of prostate cancers occur in men over the age of 65. As males age the prostate can develop problems.Little did we know the fact a man is 33% more likely to develop prostate cancer than a woman is to get breast cancer.In 2004, it is estimated that 234,000 new cases of prostate cancer diagnose in the United States. That makes it the most common cancer among American men, next to the skin cancer. More than 27,000 deaths due to prostate cancer are expected to occur annually.While in UK, nearly 35,000 men are diagnosed and about 10,000 men die from prostate cancer annually. Today, about two million men are fighting prostate cancer, and over the next decade, as baby boomer men reach the target ripen age for prostate cancer, about three million more will be compelled to join the battle.

What is prostate?

In older men, the part of the prostate around the urethra may keep on growing. What is prostate cancer?Normally, cells grow, divide and then die. Prostate cancer is abnormal cells grow out of control forming small nodules or bumps (overgrowth tissue) on the surface of in the prostate gland. In some cases, the overgrowth tissue is benign and this prostate condition is called Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy (BPH). Other times, abnormal cancerous cells characterize the overgrowth of tissue, and this is referred to as a malignancy or prostate cancer.Although more than 70% of all prostate cancer cases are diagnosed in men over the age of 65, doctors recommend that every man above the age of 50 should have a PSA test and a rectal exam. The same is true if you have a family history of prostate cancer.One-third of men over the age of 50 have some cancer cells within their prostate and nearly all men over the age of 80 have a small area of prostate cancer. In most men, these cancers grow extremely slowly, particularly in elderly men, and it will never cause any problems. Prostate cancer often does not cause any symptoms for years.Risk factors consistently associated with prostate cancer include:

Age: After the age of 50, the chance of developing prostate cancer is higher. More than 80 percent of all prostate cancers occur in men 65 years and older.

Race: African American men have a 60% higher risk of prostate cancer than white men, including Hispanic men.Having family history of prostate cancer, a father or brother with the disease doubles a man’s risk of developing it. Man whose brother had a prostate cancer have 4.5 times higher risk of prostate cancer and 2.5 time higher if his father had a prostate cancer.

Diet: The results of most studies show s diet high in animal fats and low in fresh fruit and vegetables have an increased chance of developing prostate cancer.

Exercise: Maintaining a healthy weight along with regular physical activity may reduce the risk of prostate cancer.

How is prostate cancer detected?

There are screening methods for prostate cancer:

• Digital rectal examination (DRE) A digital rectal examination as part of an annual physical exam in men age of 50 or older (and in younger men who are at increased risk). During this test, a doctor inserts a gloved and lubricated finger into the rectum to feel for abnormalities. While the rectal exam may be a bit unpleasant, it is done quickly.
• Blood test for prostate specific antigen (PSA) The PSA is a blood test which measures a protein in prostate gland cells. The American Cancer Society recommends the test to be executed once a year for men 50 and older, and for younger men with higher prostate cancer risk.

What is the usual treatment for prostate cancer?

prostate:

• Radical prostatectomy: A surgical procedure to remove the entire prostate gland and nearby tissues. In some cases the lymph nodes in the pelvic area are also removed. This procedure is performed using nerve-sparing surgery which might prevent damage to the nerves needed for an erection. However, nerve-sparing surgery is not always possible.
• Radiation therapy: Using energy to the prostate using an external beam of radiation. Patients with high-risk prostate cancer are candidates for adding hormonal therapy to standard radiation therapy.
• Active Surveillance may be an option recommended for patients with early-stage prostate cancer, particularly those who have low-grade tumors with only a small amount of cancer seen in the biopsy.

Source by ezinearticles.com