Prostate cancer is normally a slow growth cancer that can take years before it becomes deadly. Many men, especially those later in life have made the decision with their doctors to simply watch and wait. Men at higher risk for prostate cancer include African-American men older than 60, farmers, tire plant workers, painters, and men exposed to cadmium; the lowest number of cases occurs in Japanese men and those who do not eat meat who reach the age of 80.

The main job of the prostate gland is to make seminal fluid, the milky substance that transports sperm. In most men, prostate cancer grows very slowly; most men will never even know they have the condition. Prostate cancer is the third most common cause of death from cancer in men of all ages and is the most common cause of death from cancer in men over 75 years old.

Most prostate cancer symptoms, although usually associated with prostate cancer, are more likely to be connected to non-cancerous conditions. Additional symptoms that may be associated are bone pain or tenderness, and abdominal pain. If you have one or more prostate cancer symptoms, you should see your doctor as soon as possible.

Some men may experience symptoms that might indicate the presence of prostate cancer. There are various other symptoms that may not be mentioned here. The need to urinate frequently, especially at night is another common symptom but can mimic other health issues.

There are several potential downsides to PSA testing; for example a high PSA does not mean a patient has prostate cancer. One downside to PSA testing is that health care providers are detecting and treating some very early-stage prostate cancers that may never have developed into anything. There is a newer test called an AMACR that is more sensitive than the PSA test for determining the presence of prostate cancer.

The decision about whether or not to pursue a PSA test should be based on a discussion between you and your doctor. A bone scan can indicate whether the cancer has spread. A chest x-ray may be done also to see if there's a spread of cancer or metastasis.

What you can do right now is begin to understand what exactly your treatment options are and where you're going to start. Surgery, radiation therapy, and hormonal therapy can all interfere with libido on a temporary or permanent basis. Most men simply want the best treatment they can get but what is important is choosing the best treatment for you.

Urinary incontinence can be one of the complications of surgery. Medicines can be used to adjust the levels of testosterone; this is called hormonal manipulation. Hormone manipulation is mainly used as a treatment to relieve symptoms in men whose cancer has metastasized.

Side effects of the chemotherapy drugs depend on which ones you're taking and how often and how long they're taken. The invasive conventional treatment of prostate cancer is often controversial. If continued chemotherapy is decided upon after the first round of chemotherapy, most men receive further doses on an outpatient basis at a clinic or physician's office. Think hard and long before committing to any chemotherapy.

Whether radiation is as good as removing the prostate gland is debatable and the decision about which to choose, if any, can be difficult for anyone. Prostate cancer that has spread may be treated conventionally with drugs to reduce testosterone levels, surgery to remove the testes, chemotherapy or even nothing at all. A new therapy is on the forefront that recruits the body's own immune system cells to destroy any tumors that could become a new way to treat men with advanced prostate cancer - if the FDA approves the highly individualized treatment.

For a more natural approach making a ginger tea, by adding a thin slice or two of fresh gingerroot to hot water, is helpful to many people I know. Concentrating on a diet of predominately fruits and vegetables (preferably raw- uncooked) and no junk food, should give you an observable improvement in your overall health within 30 days. Eat foods that contain the essential fatty acids.

A good dietary, natural treatment approach is to avoid all acidic inflammatory foods; those are foods that are not alive, not dead, non-nutrient food. Studies done on antioxidant vitamins question their value when not actually contained in food; it's clearly better to consume these antioxidants in living foods because they may also need to work with other nutrients present in the foods to work properly. Some foods and beverages to avoid that are inflammatory are: caffeine, salt, sugar, meat, dairy products, additives, soft drinks, white flour, white rice, alcoholic beverages, fast food, processed vegetable oils, and canned, refined, packaged and processed food.

Eat high-fiber snacks like raw nuts (soak them overnight first to release the enzyme inhibitors that make them difficult to digest), raw seeds, and dried fruit, such as dates, and figs. Drink plenty of pure, unchlorinated, filtered water, a minimum of a quart each day. For an easy fiber boost, mix in two tablespoons of ground-up flaxseeds in raw applesauce made from two-three apples in your food processor.

Evidence indicates that many patients detect cancer at an earlier stage because of annual screening, so make sure to get a good, thorough exam. As new research comes out adjust your treatment options accordingly but a good diet will be your best initial defense. In the end, only you with the help of your doctors, knowing your individual situation, can determine the best treatment plan for you.