Sunday, January 8, 2012

Prostate Cancer

By Owen Jones


The prostate is an organ only present in the male body - women do not have one. It is located deep inside the under part of the body and surrounds the neck of the bladder and the first section of the urethra. It is quite small being around three by four centimetres and is most easily accessed from the back passage.

A couple of things can go wrong with the prostate and it is very probable that one of them will affect every man in later life to some extent or another. Some of the most common problems are:

prostatitis which is the swelling of the prostate due to bacterial disease

the benign enlargement of the prostate which is a common part of the aging process, affecting many men over 50 years of age

prostate cancer, which is the fourth most prevalent cancer in males

The growth of prostate cancer appears to be definitely linked to the presence of the male hormone androgen. Castration has a noticeable positive impact on the growth of prostate cancer.

The prostate is conical in shape, but has five distinct lobes. Cancer nearly always develops in the rear-most lobe, whereas benign growths appear to prefer the other lobes.

All concerns with the prostate have the effect of making urination a problem. This is why older men tend to go to the toilet frequently. Prostate cancer also developes faster than most other types of cancer.

Because of this, older men ought to have tests for prostate cancer quite frequently. Not only does prostate cancer grow quickly, but it also spreads rapidly. The medical term for this spreading is 'metastasis'.

If this form of cancer is not caught soon, it will spread rapidly through the various internal organs, the lymph nodes and the blood. Death can occur soon after diagnosis, unless it is noticed in a very early point.

Self diagnosis is virtually impossible because it is a small internal organ hidden between the penis and the anus. One of the first indications is a problem with urination, but by then it could already be too late to avoid metastasis.

If the cancer progresses to the bladder and urethra, urination will get painful and there may be blood in the urine too. If the cancer is advanced, urination may be impossible and kidney issues will follow soon. Kidney failure or kidney infection is a frequent side-effect of prostate cancer.

If the metastasis is well advanced, there could be back pain in the lumbar area or in the hips. Shortage of breath would indicate a further development of the cancer to the lungs. A general feeling of weakness might be the next symptom.

if diagnosed early enough, prostate cancer can be treated quite successfully. Often a catheter is required, but it could also mean dialysis if the kidneys have been severely affected.

Part of the prostate may be removed, but it is also possible to remove it entirely, although not without consequences. Other treatments include hormones and chemotherapy.

Some individuals believe that prevention can be obtained by homeopathic medications or a healthy diet, but the jury is out on that one officially.




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