Prostate cancer

 This is s type of cancer that occurs in the prostate gland, which is a gland in the male reproductive system responsible for the semen fluid production. Cancer occurs when cells in certain body organ or tissue starts to divide in an uncontrolled rate leading to formation of a tumor which then displaces the normal cells with atypical nonfunctioning cells leading to loss of organ functionality and may be transferred to other body organs on a process called metastasis.

Signs and symptoms of prostate cancer

They are similar to the symptoms of benign prostate hyperplasia. Those symptoms include increased frequency of urination, urination during night, the patient being unable to maintain a steady urination stream and also painful urination. These urinary symptoms occur in prostate cancer as the prostate gland is present around the prostatic urethra and its enlargement either due to benign prostate hyperplasia or due to prostate cancer leads to these urinary changes. Also sexual symptoms are present as the prostate is responsible for seminal fluid production; these symptoms include incomplete penile erection and fast painful ejaculation.

Risk factors

As all of the other cancer types there is no a quiet evidence for its causes, but there are many risk factors that are proven to be in a relation with prostate cancer. The first is genetic factor. Many researched had shown that if there is family history of prostate cancer so members of this family are more likely to have prostate cancer. The second is dietary factor there is some evidence that taking excessive multivitamins and folic acid made people more susceptible to prostate cancer. Other risk factors include sexual factors; in this issue it is evident that people who had many sexual partners and started to have sex in young ages are more likely to develop prostate cancer.

Diagnosis of prostate cancer

Signs and symptoms are not enough to ensure that there is prostate cancer as they are common with other prostate inflammation conditions. So the main diagnosing tool that can be used to diagnose prostate cancer is taking a prostate biopsy. Other imaging techniques may be useful before biopsy to have an initial determination of the disease.

Treatment of prostate cancer

In many cases the disease is asymptomatic and so treatment is not necessary. I mean that there is no need for treatment for old patients who are not expected to live until the symptoms appear. This is always the case of low grades slow growing prostate tumors, but if the patient is of young age and have painful and uncomfortable symptoms therapy must be done. The first trend is to use high energy radiation techniques to stop the growth and the division of tumor cells, but if this is not efficient and the tumor is of high grade surgery must be done. This surgical operation is called radical prostatectomy where the gland is completely removed.

Finally as many other types of cancers we still can’t speak precisely in the causes or even the treatment techniques, because till now there is no complete curing therapy to treat cancer.