Cancer of Prostate

Cancer of prostate is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the US after lung cancer. It is also the second most common cancer among men in the US, after skin cancer. Simply put, the prostate is a gland in a man’s reproductive system located below the bladder and in front of the rectum.

Over the recent years, the survival rate for prostate cancer has improved so much that today, 92% of sufferers at various stages can be cured. The secret lies in early detection of the disease. Just that.

Some men are said to be more prone to prostate cancer than others depending on various factors. Genetics and family history is one. A man is at a higher risk of developing the disease if there is a history of the disease among other males in his family. It is also suggested that diets high in animal fat may increase the risk of the disease, and that diets high in fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of the disease. While its causes are by and large not very clear, it has been shown that cancer of prostate is found in men mostly over 55 years of age, and the average of detection is 70.

Since early detection is the key to successful treatment, it is important to know what symptoms to watch out for. One of the amazing things about this disease is that many men who get it never have any symptoms. Some may never even undergo treatment and may even die of some other causes altogether. But nevertheless, these are some of the symptoms prostate cancer sufferer might experience that call for a visit to the doctor for diagnosis:

• painful urination

• frequency in urination especially at night

• painful ejaculation

• difficulty in erection

• blood in the urine

• pain in the lower back

If cancer is suspected the most accurate method of detection is to take a biopsy of the prostate and have it examined.
This type of cancer does not necessarily have to be fatal. Cancer of the prostate is slow-growing, and it is good for the man who feels he may be at risk to ask the doctor to schedule prostate screening tests even if he has no symptoms.