The prostate is a walnut-sized gland located below the bladder and in front of the rectum. Prostate cancer occurs when cells in this gland grow out of control. What are the signs of prostate cancer?
And what are its stages?
What is the prostate exam?
How is it going?
What is prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer is cancer that originates in the prostate gland, which is part of the male reproductive system.
It usually affects older men.
If the disease is detected early, the patient may suffer from limited and temporary side effects, according to the King Hussein Cancer Center in Jordan.
According to Hamad Medical Corporation in Qatar, the prostate is a walnut-sized gland located below the bladder and in front of the rectum. Prostate cancer occurs when cells in this gland grow uncontrollably. If a cancerous tumor is detected in this gland early, it can be treated and cured. from him.
Prostate cancer signs
Many patients do not feel any symptoms and are diagnosed only if they do a blood test called a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test.
Therefore, it is recommended to do early detection tests.
There are some symptoms that a number of patients feel, such as:
Frequent urination or problems urinating.
Presence of blood in the urine.
Back or leg pain.
Loss of appetite and pain in the bones (if the disease spreads).
Prostate cancer stages
Prostate cancer stage I
Cancer at this early stage is usually slow growing.
The tumor is not palpable and includes half or even less of one side of the prostate.
Low levels of prostate-specific antigen.
Cancer cells look like healthy cells, according to the AJCC Cancer Staging Manual, Eighth Edition (2017), parts of which are published on cancer.net.
Prostate cancer Stage II
The tumor is found only in the prostate.
Prostate-specific antigen levels are medium or low.
Stage II prostate cancer is small but may have an increased risk of growing and spreading.
Prostate cancer stage IIA
The tumor cannot be felt and includes half or even less of one side of the prostate.
PSA levels are average, and the tumor cells are well differentiated.
This stage also includes larger tumors found only in the prostate, as long as the cancer cells are still well differentiated.
Prostate cancer stage IIB
The tumor is only inside the prostate, and it may be large enough to be felt during a rectal exam. The PSA level is average.
Prostate cancer Stage IIC
The tumor is only inside the prostate, and it may be large enough to be felt during a rectal exam.
PSA level is average, cancer cells may be moderately or poorly differentiated (i.e. different from normal cells).
Prostate cancer Stage III
In which elevated PSA levels or tumor growth occur, locally advanced cancer is likely to grow and spread.
Prostate cancer stage IIIA
Cancer has spread beyond the outer layer of the prostate to nearby tissues.
It may also spread to the seminal vesicles.
The PSA level is high.
Prostate cancer Stage IIIB
The tumor has grown outside the prostate gland and may have invaded nearby structures, such as the bladder or rectum.
Prostate cancer Stage IIIC
Cancer cells in a tumor look very different from healthy cells.
Prostate cancer Stage IV
At this point, the cancer has spread beyond the prostate.
Prostate cancer Stage IVA
Cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes.
Prostate cancer Stage IVB
Cancer has spread to distant lymph nodes, other parts of the body, or to bones.
Recurrent prostate cancer
Recurrent prostate cancer is cancer that has returned after treatment.
It may return to the prostate area again or to other parts of the body.
If the cancer returns, there will be another round of tests to see how often the infection has recurred.
These tests and examinations are often similar to those done at the time of the original diagnosis.
Prostate examination
A prostate exam is a test to look for early signs of prostate cancer.
The average age at which a prostate exam is recommended is 50, but some people may need to start screening as early as 45. A prostate exam can't tell you for sure if you have cancer, but an abnormal result means you may need to a biopsy of the prostate, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Prostate examination method
In general, a prostate exam includes a PSA test (which measures the level of PSA in your blood) and a fingertip rectal exam (DRE).
Prostate specific antigen test
Prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, is a protein produced by the prostate gland.
When there is a problem with the prostate gland, it secretes more PSA.
High levels of PSA can be a sign of prostate cancer.
Finger rectal examination
According to the Mayo Clinic, during the exam, your doctor inserts a gloved, lubricated finger into your rectum and feels the back wall of the prostate gland to see if there's enlargement, pain, lumps or hard spots.
Men should have their first prostate exam by age 50. If you have a family history of prostate cancer, you should consider getting your first prostate exam at age 45.
Normal level of prostate-specific antigen
The researchers did not settle on a single normal level of PSA.
Previously, a level of 4.0 ng/ml or higher meant further testing, usually a prostate biopsy, was recommended.
During a biopsy, a health care provider removes a small sample of prostate tissue to be tested for cancer.
However, health care providers now consider other issues along with the PSA level to decide whether or not to perform a biopsy.
Your age, general health, family history, and health history are a factor in making the decision.
Other tests to diagnose prostate cancer
A biopsy of the prostate.
Transrectal ultrasound to take a picture and biopsy of the prostate gland.
CT scan of the pelvis and bone to look for spread of the disease.
Prostate cancer causes
According to the UK's National Health Service, the NHS, it is not known exactly what causes prostate cancer, but there are a number of things that can increase your risk, and they are identified as prostate cancer risk factors.
Prostate cancer risk factors
the age
The risks increase as you age, and most cases are diagnosed in men over 50
Sweat
Prostate cancer is more common in black men than in Asian men
family history
Having a brother or father who developed prostate cancer before the age of 60 appears to increase the risk of developing it;
Research also shows that having a female nearby who has had breast cancer may also increase the risk of prostate cancer
obesity
Recent research suggests that there may be a link between obesity and prostate cancer, and that a balanced diet and regular exercise may reduce the risk of prostate cancer.
Diet
Research is ongoing on the links between diet and prostate cancer, and there is some evidence that a calcium-rich diet is linked to an increased risk of prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer risk
About 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime.
About 6 in 10 are diagnosed in men age 65 or older, and it is rare in men younger than 40.
The average age of men at diagnosis is about 66, according to the American Cancer Society.
Best way to detect prostate cancer early
According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer can often be detected early by testing the levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in a man's blood.
Another way to detect prostate cancer is a digital rectal examination (DRE).
For DRE, the doctor places a gloved, lubricated finger into the rectum to feel for the prostate gland.
These tests and the actual screening process are described in more detail in Screening Tests for Prostate Cancer.
The difference between prostate cancer and prostate enlargement
An enlarged prostate, also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPE) is the medical term for an enlarged prostate, a condition that can affect how you urinate, and it's not cancer.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia is common in men over 50 years of age.
It is not cancer and does not usually pose a serious health threat, according to the UK's National Health Service (NHS).
Many men worry that an enlarged prostate means an increased risk of prostate cancer, but there is no need to worry.
The risk of prostate cancer is no greater for men with an enlarged prostate than for men without an enlarged prostate.
The cause of an enlarged prostate is unknown, but it is believed to be related to hormonal changes as men age.
The balance of hormones in your body changes as you age and may cause the prostate gland to grow.
Does prostate cancer affect women?
The answer is not straightforward.
First, the prostate is not part of the female anatomy.
At the front of the vagina is a series of glands and ducts called Skene's glands, sometimes called the "female prostate".
These glands have some of the same characteristics as the male prostate gland.
For example, they both contain prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and PSA phosphatase.
It is possible to develop Skene's gland cancer, which is sometimes called "female prostate cancer."
However, this is extremely rare, according to a report in Medical News Today.
Prostate cancer treatment
According to the King Hussein Cancer Center, prostate cancer treatment options include
surgery
In which the prostate is completely removed, it is the most common prostate cancer treatment.
radiotherapy
Radiation therapy is the use of X-rays, focused electron beams, or high-powered radioisotopes to kill cancer cells and shrink the size of a tumor.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells.
Chemotherapy can be taken orally or as an injection into a vein.
Chemotherapy is considered a systemic treatment, meaning that the drugs enter the bloodstream and travel through the body and can kill cancer cells anywhere in the body, including the prostate.
hormonal therapy
It is known that prostate cancer cells grow with the help of the male hormone, and there are multiple ways to control the spread of cancer cells in the body by giving hormones that reduce the male hormone in the body, and thus reduce the growth rate of the spread cells.
Questions about chemotherapy for prostate cancer
How long does chemotherapy need for prostate cancer?
Chemotherapy is given in cycles of treatment followed by a recovery period.
The full duration of chemical treatment usually lasts between three to six months, depending on the type of medication given.
When is chemotherapy given?
Chemotherapy can be used in cases of recurrent or advanced prostate cancer, but it's not usually used to treat the disease in its early stage.
Cure rate for prostate cancer
When detected early, the survival rate is high.
For example, in the United States the 5-year survival rate for people with prostate cancer is 98%.
Also the 10-year survival rate is also 98%.