Prostate

The prostate is a gland found just below the bladder and in front of the rectum in the male reproductive system. It surrounds the urethra, which is the tube that allows urine to be emptied from the bladder. The primary purpose of the prostate is to produce seminal fluid, which transports sperm. The prostate gland is about the size of a walnut and only weighs an ounce. It is made of 30% muscular tissue and 70% glandular tissue.

Prostate cancer is the second most common type of cancer found in American men. Cancer is characterized by uncontrolled growth and the potential spread of abnormal cells. The body is made up of billions of cells that reproduce by dividing so growth occurs. In abnormal situations, cells grow into a tumor. A tumor can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Prostate cancer arises when a malignant tumor is formed in the prostate gland. If it is left untreated, the cancer can spread beyond the prostate gland into tissues, lymph nodes, bones, lungs and/or liver. Spreading of this nature is called metastasis, which can cause men to experience pain and aching in the bones, pelvis, hips, ribs and/or back.

 

September 16 through 22 is Prostate Cancer Awareness Week. 

Cancer of the prostate is 2nd only to skin cancer among American men.  The earlier prostate cancer is found, the better the chances are that it can be treated effectively.  Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in America, affecting 1 in 6 men.  In 2007, more than 218,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, and more than 27,000 men will die from the disease. One new case occurs every 2.5 minutes and a man dies from prostate cancer every 19 minutes.  It is estimated that there are more than 2 million American men currently living with prostate cancer.

 

A non-smoking man is more likely to develop prostate cancer than he is to develop colon, bladder, melanoma, lymphoma and kidney cancers combined. In fact, a man is 35% more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than a woman is to be diagnosed with breast cancer.  Older age, African American race, and a family history of the disease can all increase the likelihood of a man being diagnosed with the disease.

As men increase in age, their risk of developing prostate cancer increases exponentially. Although only 1 in 10,000 under age 40 will be diagnosed, the rate shoots up to 1 in 39 for ages 40 to 59, and 1 in 14 for ages 60 to 69. More than 65% of all prostate cancers are diagnosed in men over the age of 65.

African American men are 56% more likely to develop prostate cancer compared with Caucasian men and nearly 2.5 times as likely to die from the disease.
Men with a single first-degree relative—father, brother or son—with a history of prostate cancer are twice as likely to develop the disease, while those with two or more relatives are nearly four times as likely to be diagnosed. The risk is highest in men whose family members were diagnosed before age 65.

 

As with all cancers, "cure" rates for prostate cancer describe the percentage of patients likely remaining disease-free for a specific time. In general, the earlier the cancer is caught, the more likely it is for the patient to remain disease-free.

Because approximately 90% of all prostate cancers are detected in the local and regional stages, the cure rate for prostate cancer is very high—nearly 100% of men diagnosed at this stage will be disease-free after five years. By contrast, in the 1970s, only 67% of men diagnosed with local or regional prostate cancer were disease-free after five years.

 

If the cancer is caught at its earliest stages, most men will not experience any symptoms. Some men, however, will experience symptoms such as frequent, hesitant, or burning urination, difficulty in having an erection, or pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips or upper thighs.

Because these symptoms can also indicate the presence of other diseases or disorders, men who experience any of these symptoms will undergo a thorough work-up to determine the underlying cause of the symptoms.

 

Screening for prostate cancer can be performed in a physician’s office using two tests: the PSA (prostate-specific antigen) blood test and the digital rectal exam (DRE).  The American Cancer Society recommends that both the PSA and DRE should be offered annually, beginning at age 50, to men who have at least a 10-year life expectancy. Men at high risk, such as African American men and men with a strong family history of one or more first-degree relatives diagnosed at an early age should begin testing at age 45. Men at even higher risk, due to multiple first-degree relatives affected at an early age, could begin testing at age 40.

 

There are a wide variety of treatment options available for men with prostate cancer, including surgery, radiation therapy, hormone therapy and chemotherapy, any or all of which might be used at different times depending on the stage of disease and the need for treatment.

Consultation with all three types of prostate cancer specialists—a urologist, a radiation oncologist and a medical oncologist—will offer the most comprehensive assessment of the available treatments and expected outcomes.

For more information about prostate cancer or to find out when Catholic Medical Center will host a prostate screening, call ASK-A-NURSE® at 626.2626.