Tonight on Medical Monday, Dr. Heather Stefaniak from BayCare Clinic explains more about a cancer that affects thousands of men each year.
What is prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer is cancer that occurs in a man’s prostate, a small walnut-shaped gland located below the bladder and in front of the rectum that produces the seminal fluid responsible for the nourishment and transport of sperm. It is common among older men and rare in men younger than age 40. Most prostate cancers grow slowly, and don’t cause any health problems in men who have them.
What are the risk factors for this disease?
Factors that can increase your risk of prostate cancer include:
* Older age. Your risk of prostate cancer increases as you age.
* Race. African-American men have a greater risk of prostate cancer than do men of other races. In black men, prostate cancer is also more likely to be aggressive or advanced.
* Family history of prostate or breast cancer. If men in your family have had prostate cancer, your risk may be increased. Also, if you have a family history of genes that increase the risk of breast cancer (BRCA1 or BRCA2) or a very strong family history of breast cancer, your risk of prostate cancer may be higher.
* Obesity. Obese men diagnosed with prostate cancer may be more likely to have advanced disease that’s more difficult to treat.
What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer may cause no signs or symptoms in its early stages. Prostate cancer that is more advanced may cause signs and symptoms such as:
* Difficulty starting urination
* Weak or interrupted flow of urine
* Frequent urination, especially at night
* Difficulty emptying the bladder completely
* Pain or burning during urination
* Blood in the urine or semen
* Pain in the back, hips, or pelvis that doesn’t go away
* Painful ejaculation
What causes this form of cancer?
Researchers are trying to determine the causes of prostate cancer and whether it can be prevented. They do not yet agree on the factors that can influence a man’s risk of developing the disease. Experts, however, generally agree that diet contributes to the risk.
Men who consume large amounts of fat – particularly from red meat and other sources of animal fat – are more likely to develop advanced prostate cancer.
What are the treatments for prostate cancer?
Different types of treatment are available for prostate cancer. Your physician will determine which treatments are right for you. Some common treatments are:
* Active surveillance. Closely monitoring the prostate cancer by performing prostate specific antigen and digital rectal exam tests regularly, and treating the cancer only if it grows or causes symptoms.
* Surgery. A prostatectomy is an operation where doctors remove the prostate.
* Radiation therapy. Using high-energy rays (similar to X-rays) to kill the cancer.
* Hormone therapy. Blocks cancer cells from getting the hormones they need to grow.
* High-intensity focused ultrasound. This therapy directs high-energy sound waves (ultrasound) at the cancer to kill cancer cells.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men (after skin cancer), but it can often be treated successfully. More than 2 million men in the United States count themselves as prostate cancer survivors. That’s good news.
More information For more information, visit www.baycare.net or call (920) 288-8280.
