Prostate cancer affects the prostate, which is a gland in the male reproductive system. The cancer cells may then spread to various parts of the body, especially the bones and lymph nodes. Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in male. If detected early, prostate cancer can be effectively treated. However, advance prostate cancer is usually fatal. Hence, it is critical for men in the high risk group to be screened for prostate cancer regularly.
Most men have no problems with their prostate gland before the age of forty. Many will then start to develop enlarged prostate as they age. This prostate problem is not usually serious although the symptoms are annoying and inconvenient. The prostate enlarges and squeezes the urethra which carries urine from the bladder. When the urethra is squeezed by the enlarging prostate gland, there will be constant urge to urinate. The other symptoms are inability to control the urination process, the start, the stop and a weak flow of urine.
An enlarged prostate is not necessarily a sign of prostate cancer although the warning signs of prostate cancer are similar to that of an enlarged prostate. Hence, it is prudent to test for prostate cancer when you have symptoms of an enlarged prostate.
The symptoms of prostate cancer include difficulty with urinating and ejaculation, blood in the urine or semen and pain in the lower body region.
However, you should know that you may have prostate cancer but not be experiencing any signs and symptoms. So just because you feel fine and healthy, it may not mean that you are, and so regardless of how you feel, you still need to get regular prostate check up, especially after the age of forty.
All Prostate Cancer Warning Signs Should Be Investigated Quickly
Some prostate cancer warning signs are the same as those of less serious diseases. However, all prostate cancer warning signs should be investigated promptly and thoroughly, especially for men in their fifties. These warning signs are the subtle evidence of the serious disease. Prostate cancer is a slow growing cancer with no obvious surface signs. When the tumor is sizeable, symptoms will manifest. These symptoms include frequent urges to urinate, difficulty in urinating, and a weak flow of urine when urinating.
The prostate cancer warning signs are also shown during sexual intercourse when a man has trouble with erection. Blood in the urine is another sign of prostate cancer. A stiff back, hips or thighs might be due to the growing prostate cancer. All these problems should be promptly investigated as possible indication of prostate cancer. As the cancer progresses, there will be more obvious warning signs but it may be too late by then.
High Risk Prostate Cancer
At the core level, all types of cancers are the result of defects in the genetic codes. The defect causes unrestrained growth of cells leading to malignancy. The cells have their natural mechanism for correcting the DNA deficits, but sometimes this mechanism fails to act and that becomes the cause of certain diseases including cancer.
Cancers are in most part are the result of genetic abnormalities, but not all abnormalities are the result of hereditary defects.
-In many cases the defects are the family traits.
-In many cases defects are the result of faulty lifestyle.
-In many cases, malignancy does not occur despite the DNA abnormalities at birth.
-Even if there are DNA defects at birth, they do not turn into cancer unless they are triggered off by such factors as excessive exposure to radiation or toxins.
So far as prostate cancer is concerned, the medical scientists have taken rather long to conclude that this particular type of cancer does run in the families. Most of these researches were based on the technique called 'case control method'. This technique works in this manner:
-First it identifies men with prostate cancer
-Then a survey is taken on their families; it helps to find out how many relatives have the disease.
-Parallelly the investigations are carried on the families of men of same age, without prostate cancer.
-Now a comparison is made between the families of the patients of prostate cancer and the healthy men to arrive at a risk ratio.
-Most of the researches on the hereditary link of prostate cancer, are more or less in agreement that a family history of prostate cancer would double a man's risk of developing the disease.
-Many of the researches however differ with regard to the degree of risk. But it has been commonly found out that: the risk is greater when close relatives have the disease. Risks also increase for those whose multiple relatives have been affected with prostate cancer, and also when the disease has been diagnosed at an early age.
Though discovered late, these findings have important socio-medical implications. Now the researchers are trying to find out the exact defects that lead to prostate cancer in some men and it will be a significant leap in the medical history as this finding will be able to warn the men whether they have greater risk of developing prostate cancer. Men with greater hereditary risks may be advised to undergo prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening 5-10 years earlier than at the usual age of 50. At the same time they will be asked to incorporate certain preventive measures in their lifestyle so that the cancer cells are not able to continue with their injuring tasks.
Both Cindy Heller & Jason Uvios are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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