Prostate Cancer

June 15, 2020

2 min read

Approximately 1 in 9 men will receive a prostate cancer diagnosis in their lifetimes. The good news is that even though prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in males, it is generally a slow-growing disease.

The walnut-shaped prostate gland sits next to the bladder and in front of the rectum.

While one of the most common cancers in males, most men with prostate cancer will succumb to something else. However, some types of prostate cancer are more aggressive, so men should visit a doctor as soon as possible after symptoms appear. Early detection and treatment usually mean a better prognosis.

Prostate Cancer Symptoms

Prostate cancer causes few symptoms in the early stages. As the cancer progresses, the following symptoms frequently appear:

Frequent urination
Weaker urinary stream
Erectile dysfunction
Pelvic discomfort
Blood in semen

Men with advanced cases of prostate cancer may experience bone pain. Prostate cancer often metastasizes to the bones.

Risk Factors

Prostate cancer primarily affects older men. African-American men are at higher risk of developing prostate cancer and are more often diagnosed at an advanced stage. Obese men are also at greater risk of advanced disease.

There is a genetic component to prostate cancer, so if your father or grandfather suffered from the disease, your risk of developing it increases.

Prostate Cancer Diagnosis

Screening tests for prostate cancer include a digital rectal exam to determine the size of the prostate gland and a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test. The latter requires a blood sample. High levels of PSA may indicate potential cancer.

If these tests show some abnormality, the next step is an ultrasound for further prostate evaluation. The urologist may also conduct a biopsy to collect cells from the prostate gland. The biopsy will determine whether the cancer is aggressive based on its grade.

When a diagnosis of prostate cancer is made, further tests are necessary to see if the disease has spread. These include:

Bone scan
CT scan
MRI
PET scan

Prostate Cancer Treatment

Many men diagnosed with prostate cancer will not need treatment per se, at least not immediately. Instead, they undergo regular PSA testing and surveillance by their doctors.

Some men will undergo surgery to remove the prostate. Risks of this procedure include erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence.

Another treatment option is radiation therapy. This may consist of external beam radiation designed to kill cancer cells, or brachytherapy, the implantation of numerous radioactive seeds in the prostate gland.

Men who go through external beam radiation should expect to undergo this therapy five days a week for several weeks. The radioactive seeds in brachytherapy emit low-levels of radiation constantly to kill cancer cells, and will eventually stop radiation emission. Once the seeds are implanted, removal is not necessary.

Some men may benefit from hormone therapy that stops the production of testosterone. Prostate cancer requires this male hormone to grow. Medications are available that stop testosterone production per se, or prevent the hormone from reaching cancer cells.

Men with advanced cases of prostate cancer may undergo chemotherapy or immunotherapy.