The exact cause for prostate cancer is unknown but there are several risk factors which can be observed. Some of these factors are a high fat diet or heritage of example.
Having a screening examination at fixed intervals is important to detect prostate cancer early. Looking for symptoms yourself is not enough because you can not detect the cancer early enough. Once you have prostate cancer symptoms already, it is (too) late already.
After the cancer has broken out already, you could have symptoms like weak or interrupted urine flow, blood in the urine or a pain in the back, thighs or hips. There could also be a burning sensation.
Prostate cancer can be cured but it is vital to detect the cancer in a very early stage. Once the cancer spreads it is getting more and more difficult to get rid of it. If treatment starts early, prognosis is very good.
The well known examination where the doctor puts a finger in the rectum to find abnormalities of the prostate gland is the first step in detecting cancer. If there is something odd, the doctor will make a blood test to find out how much PSA is in your blood. If the PSA level is high then it can be bad news. PSA is an antigen and a high concentration of it in the blood can be a sign of cancer.
Another test is the transrectal ultrasound which shows a pretty accurate picture of the prostate gland. This painless procedure can detect tumors within twenty minutes.
If any of the test gives a strong indication for a possible prostate cancer then the best method to get certain is a biopsy. During a prostate biopsy the doctor inserts a needle to take a sample of the tissue. It is then examined under the microscope. It sounds painful but it isn’t. It is also a very fast way to determine cancer.
If the cancer has spread to other parts of the body can be checked by x-ray, computer tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. It would be a bad sign if the cancer has reached the lungs already.
The treatment must start quickly and is often done by more than one doctor. An oncologist, a surgeon and a urologist are needed to start treatment. The standard treatment is a surgery because it gives the chance to completely remove the entire cancer. There are alternative treatment options as well which you may consider, especially because the surgery can have some serious side effects.
If treatment has started early enough then the prognosis is good. It is possible that the cancer could be completely removed. Statistics say that after five years more than 95% of men are still alive. The prognosis goes down significantly below 30% survival rate if the cancer was detected late.
