Once prostate cancer has been diagnosed, the oncologist will categorise it into stages. The staging system for prostate cancer standardises the extent to which the cancer has spread. There are various staging systems for prostate cancer and the type most used is the TNM system.
The TNM System
The TNM system provides a description of the primary tumor, known as the ?T stage?. It also indicates whether or not the cancer has spread to the nearby lymph nodes, known as the ?N stage,? along with the presence or absence of distant Metastasis, known as the ?M Stage.? Metastasis is the medical term which defines whether or not the cancer cells have spread from the prostate gland to another part of the body.
The prostate's tumor (T-Stage) is described via four categories which rang from T1 to T4. The following provides a description of each of the four stages:
T1 ? refers to microscopic cancer which is unilateral and non palpable. This stage means that the doctor is unable to feel the tumor or visualise it using transrectal imaging or other forms. The disease may have been diagnosed during treatment for BPH or via a needle biopsy taken due to high levels of PSA.
T2 ? the tumor can be felt via a digital rectal examination. The doctor believes the tumor is confined to the prostate gland.
T3 ? the Cancer has spread to the tissues immediately near the prostate gland.
T4 ? Cancer has spread to other areas of the body
There are a number if tests which the doctor will perform to enable him to stage the prostate cancer:
Digital Rectal Examination
The doctor will be able to determine whether the cancer is T1, T2, T3 or beyond.
Prostatic Acid Phosphatase (PAP) Blood Test
This will help the doctor determine whether the cancer is confined to the prostate or has spread further.
Biopsy
When prostate cancer has been detected, a biopsy (small samples of tissue taken from the prostate) may be taken. A pathologist will evaluate the tissue before giving a combined Gleason grade Score (CGS).
The CGS rages from 2 10 and the higher the number, the more aggressive the cancer is. This grading is very important when considering the aggressiveness of the cancer
The grade will range from 2 to 10. The higher the number, the more aggressive is the cancer. The Gleason grade is a major factor in deciding the best treatment for the cancer.
Annual prostate specific antigen (PSA) bloods tests are advised for men over the age of 50 years (or 45 years for those men who have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer) along with a digital rectal examination.
It is also important that you are aware of all the symptoms that you may have in between the annual tests. Although having any of these symptoms does not necessarily mean that you have prostate cancer, it is advisable to seek medical advice to ensure that immediate treatment is received. In short, symptoms include:
* the inability to urinate
* increase need to urinate, particularly at night time
* difficulties with stopping (holding back) and starting urination.
Staging Of Prostate Cancer
Scientists have not been able to work out the exact cause of prostate cancer yet. But they have emphasized on a definite link between prostate cancer and environmental factors. This theory is further strengthened by the cultural trends of prostate cancer: Prostate cancer is significantly lower among Asian Americans, whereas its occurrences are highest among the African American males.
This implies that certain factors present in different cultural milieu can contribute to the risk factors in certain groups of men. As such, the food habits of people belonging to different cultural groups have something to do with the chances of getting prostate cancer. Whereas a high-fat diet may increase the risk, certain plant based foods that have wide acceptance among the Asian community can considerably lower the risks of developing prostate cancer after certain age. Let's discuss about the advantage of two of them, namely the soy products and green tea.
Green tea
The green tea is rich in polyphenols ? a type of antioxidants found in many plants. These chemical ingredients present in the green tea make it a very effective means to reduce the chances of prostate cancer in men with a predisposition towards this cancer. The green tea and other sources of polyphenols have been used in Chinese traditional medicine since long. Then in the Mediterranean countries, common people take plant based meals rich in this extremely helpful anti oxidant called polyphenols. In both the regions, the occurrences of prostate cancer among men are noticeably lower than the men in the USA or Australia.
The medicinal value of green tea lies in its unique processing. Whereas, the so called black teas are allowed to oxidize indoors, the green teas better retain their natural contents, as they are only steamed and parched. Not only can the prostate cancer, drinking four to six cups of green tea per day also lower the risks of breast, oesophageal, liver, and lung and skin cancer.
Soy products
The efficacy of soy to reduce the chances of breast cancer is well known. But many people are not informed about the preventive power of soy with regard to the prostate cancer. Back in 1998, the Norwegian scientists found out the correlation between soy milk and prostate cancer. The study established that men who regularly consumed soy milk successfully reduced their risk of prostate cancer. The theory gets supported from the fact, that Chinese and Japanese men are less affected with prostate cancer than their American or Australian counterparts.
According to the nutritionists, consumption of two to three ounces soy milk, two to three times a week can dramatically reduce cancer risk. It is fine to obtain the material value of soy from the supplements, but it is more preferable to get soy from foods. The tofu and miso are two great sources of soy, as they are absorbed better by the body.
Both Suegold & 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.
Suegold has sinced written about articles on various topics from Information Technology, Aquarium Fish and Work From Home. The article Author Liz Allen is the manager of the website, that offers mesothelioma facts and. Suegold's top article generates over 246000 views. to your Favourites.
Jason Uvios has sinced written about articles on various topics from Air Purifier Cleaners, Acne Treatment and Food Enzymes. Jason Uvios writes about on A Guide to Fight Prostate Cancer with Plant Based Products to visit :- ,. Jason Uvios's top article generates over 165000 views. to your Favourites.
About Investing In Stock They can make more money, and take less risk by using a properly structured option strategy.So if anyone is still on the fence, its definitely worth taking the time to learn about options
