Many people have heard of prostate cancer but there are those who may not really know what it is or the signs and symptoms. This type of cancer develops slowly as a growth that is cancerous begins to form in the prostate gland of a man. Though it usually begins in this area, it can spread to any other part of the body. Some of the most common results if left untreated is the spreading of the cancer to both the lymph nodes and bones. At times, unfortunately it may become a death sentence.
In men, this gland is part of the reproductive system and in the United States alone, this type of cancer affects men, most being over the age of fifty. Lung cancer is the only other type of cancer in patients in the U.S. that surpasses the death rate of men with prostate cancer.
The good news is that if prostate screening is done on a regular basis and treatment is preformed on a man that shows signs of having the beginnings of the disease, the cancer can be stopped or slowed. As with any cancer, its important that treatment is received before it spreads throughout the body. This disease can easily be prevented with regular medical checkups and a healthy lifestyle. If the disease is left to continue on its own, it can cause death, however, it is treatable in its early stages and through treatment, a man‘s life may be prolonged or saved.
Its very common for men with the disease to pass away from the symptoms of other illnesses first. These may include heart and circulatory disease or pneumonia. For the most part, this type of cancer develops very slowly. A man, with the beginning of prostate cancer, in his fifties, may not even show signs of it until he is well into his sixties. Its very easy for this disease to go unnoticed. Many may develop it without showing any symptoms at all.
Discovering Prostate Cancer
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There are many ways that a man may be checked or screened for prostate problems. A physical examination is one way but the use of higher technology has become much more popular in prostate screening. A prostate specific antigen test (PSA), ultrasound tests, or a biopsy (a small sample of living tissue) can be taken from the prostate itself. Treating a man with this type of cancer is done either through radiation treatment or through surgery. Surgery is the method used for advanced tumors when radiation would not be of much benefit. Studies have shown that prostate cancer may be linked to alcohol consumption and cigarette use.
