Know Prostate Cancer Risk Factors, Symptoms & Treatment

Did you know that cancer is one of the leading causes of death across the nation? Around 10 million people died in 2020 due to different cancer types. Apart from breast and lung cancer, prostate cancer is among the most common chronic diseases diagnosed in men globally. It is the second most common cancer among men.

It slowly grows in the prostate gland, which is a part of the male reproductive system. This gland is located underneath the bladder and produces fluid to create semen. Since it doesn’t show any early symptoms, ensure you get regular screenings to detect it as early as possible, because it can be curable if treated on time.

To know more about prostate cancer risk factors, its symptoms, causes, and treatment, keep on reading the article, and keep yourself healthy because health is wealth for everyone, including men.

What is the Prostate Cancer Definition?

Prostate cancer is a life-threatening disease that develops in the prostate, a walnut-shaped gland located below the bladder and adjacent to the rectum in males. This small gland creates fluid that mixes with semen to keep sperm healthy for pregnancy.

According to the recent stats, around every 100 males, 13 develop prostate cancer at some point in their lives. However, the best part is that it can be curable if diagnosed and treated on time. Treatment before it spreads beyond the prostate glands can reduce the death toll.

What are the common Prostate Cancer Risk Factors?

These are listed below:

Older Age: The risk of prostate cancer increases as you get older. Males over 50 are more likely to be diagnosed with this type of cancer, while 60 per cent of prostate cancer cases happen to people above 65 years of age.

Race and ethnicity: It can be surprising but true that the risk factor is higher in black people in the United States compared to whites. The reason is still unknown.

Family History: You are more likely to get cancer if someone in your family has already had prostate cancer.

Genetics: You are also at a higher risk if you inherited mutated genes related to breast cancer risk.

Other common factors include:

• Smoking
• Prostatitis
• Long-term obesity &
• STIs

What Are the Common Causes of Prostate Cancer?

Is there any specific reason? The risk of prostate cancer increases with age, obesity, or if you already have a family history of prostate cancer. The exact cause is still under research. It develops when cells in the prostate gland change in their DNA. A cell’s DNA carries the instructions that tell the cell what to do. When cells are healthy, the DNA instructs the cells to grow and multiply at a set rate. It also tells cells to die after a defined time.

On the contrary, in cancer cells, the DNA disrupts its function and sends out different instructions. It tells the cells to grow and multiply super quickly. They can live in the body and cause too many cells. The cancer cells might create a mass, also known as a tumor. It grows gradually and destroys healthy tissues of the body. As cells continue to spread, they break off and develop in other parts of your body, known as metastasis.

Fortunately, prostate cancer grows slowly and steadily. So, you can treat it on time if you diagnose it early.

Common Symptoms of Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer may not show early symptoms. However, most of these cases are found at the initial stage. When it develops and grows, you may start witnessing symptoms, including:

• Frequent urination, especially at night
• Weak urine flow
• Blood in the urine, which might look pinkish or red.
• Blood in semen
• Pain or burning sensation when peeing
• Loss of bladder control
• Improper bowel control
• Painful ejaculation or erectile dysfunction
• Lower back pain, hip, or chest pain.

It is best to visit your healthcare professional and get yourself screened to diagnose the real issue.

Treatment of Prostate Cancer

The treatment completely depends on different aspects, such as how early you’ve diagnosed the condition and how fast it is spreading. Healthcare providers will assist you in the treatment and help you get out of this adverse situation. Here are some specific treatments and medications:

Monitoring and Screening: If your cancer is growing at a slower speed and hasn’t spread, your doctor will monitor it instead of the final treatment. They will track the growth via regular screenings, biopsies, and scans. It is best for early-stage treatment.

Surgery: Under this, a radical prostatectomy eliminates a diseased prostate gland. It effectively removes the cancer if it doesn’t spread.

Brachytherapy: It is a type of radiation therapy in which radioactive seeds are placed inside the prostate. It kills the cancer cells without affecting healthy tissue.

External Beam Radiation Therapy: A machine produces strong X-rays at the tumor to target the cancer cells.

Systemic Therapies: If cancer spreads beyond your prostate, your oncologist may recommend systemic therapies. These travel via your body to kill cancer cells and prevent them from spreading. This includes Hormone Therapy, Chemotherapy, Immunotherapy, and Targeted therapy.

Conclusion

Prostate cancer is curable and treatable if detected at an early stage. However, it doesn’t show any symptoms, making it difficult to diagnose the disease. So, it is always good to conduct regular screening after the age of 45 years and keep a close eye on symptoms like frequent urination at night, pain while ejaculating, blood in urine or semen, lower back pain, erectile dysfunction, and get yourself screened by a professional healthcare expert.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Prostate Cancer 100% Treatable?

According to experts, over 80 per cent of all prostate cancers are diagnosed when it is in the prostate gland or the area around it. So, it is treatable and the success rate is higher than most other types of cancers.

How to Prevent Prostate Cancer?

Doctors recommend that you follow a healthy lifestyle and good habits to prevent prostate cancer. This includes:

• Do not eat an excess amount of calories and workout more to maintain a healthy weight.
• Cut back on red meat and dairy products
• Eat fish as it can protect against prostate cancer. Avoid trans fatty acids
• Included cooked tomatoes, cauliflower, and broccoli
• Quit smoking
• Regular screening after the age of 45 is essential to keep the disease at bay.

Is prostate cancer the same for every man?

No, it can vary from person to person, with different symptoms, progression patterns, and behaviors. Some cancers are aggressive and grow rapidly, while some may spread slowly. Some don’t even spread to the other body parts. So, it is important to diagnose it as early as possible.

Since prostate cancer doesn’t show early symptoms, is there a screening test available?

Yes, the Prostate-Specific Antigen PSA test and a Digital Rectal Exam are available to help detect cancer in the prostate. If a tumour is growing, a biopsy is carried out. Under this, a needle is inserted through the rectum to extract tissue from the prostate and send it to the lab.