Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer amongst American men. The American Cancer Society estimates 248,530 new cases and 34,130 deaths from the disease in 2021. About one in eight men will develop it over the course of their lifetime.
Prostate cancer is a silent cancer, with symptoms sometimes going unnoticed for years. A first step it to read on and search more online to understand the symptoms and risk factors. Then, pick up your phone and schedule an annual checkup with your family doctor.
Causes and Risk Factors
Scientists do not know the precise cause of prostate cancer, but there are known risk factors that may increase your chances of getting it.
Age
Age is the number one determining risk factor. Prostate cancer is common in men over the age of 70 and rare in men under the age of 40.
Family History
You are more likely to get prostate cancer if you have a brother or father that has had it. Your risk is also higher if other family members have had breast or ovarian cancer. Family history increases your sin two to three times.
High Fat Diets
Lifestyle risk factors like eating foods high in saturated fat is something you can control. Choosing lower-fat meats and adding more vegetables and fruit to your diet is an excellent place to start.
African American Descent
African-American men are up to 70 percent more likely to suffer from prostate cancer. They develop it when they are younger and are prone to a more severe stages than other men.
Smoking
Regular smoking cigarettes doubles your chance of developing the disease.
Signs and Symptoms
Prostate cancer is subtle and often has no noticeable symptoms in its early stages. Symptoms only start to become evident as the cancer progresses.
If you have any of the following symptoms, contact your doctor.
- Frequent urination
- Difficulty emptying your bladder
- Pain or burning during urination
- Blood in your urine or semen
- Difficulty achieving an erection
- Pain in the back, hips, ribs, or other bones
- Painful ejaculation
- Discomfort in the pelvic area
- Bone pain
- Weight loss or loss of appetite
Types and Stages
There are many types of prostate cancer, but about 99 percent of cases are prostatic adenocarcinoma, which develops in the gland cells.
Although extremely rare, some other types of prostate cancer are:
- Transitional cell carcinoma
- Neuroendocrine tumors
- Small cell carcinoma
- Squamous cell carcinoma
- Prostate sarcoma
Treatment Options
There are many types of treatment for prostate cancer. Once diagnosed, your doctor or a team of oncologists will discuss which treatment regime is best for your case based on the size, spread and location of the tumor. From there, it will be assigned a stage, which will also impact your treatment.
The most common treatments include:
- Active surveillance – PSA and digital rectal exam tests and prostate biopsies are done regularly to monitor the tumor.
- Stage I – Radiation therapy, surgical prostate removal, and hormone therapy.
- Stage II – Radiation therapy and hormone therapy. If the cancer spreads to the lymph nodes, surgery may be considered.
- Stage III – Radiation therapy and hormone therapy. Since the cancer has spread beyond the prostate, surgical options are limited.
- Stage IV – The cancer is treatable, but likely incurable. Hormone therapy, chemotherapy, radiation, and clinical trials may improve quality of life.
When the cancer is caught and treated early, a patient’s outcome is far better, so it’s essential to do what you can to prevent it and know the signs. If you have questions or concerns, or are experiencing any symptoms, make a call to your doctor to set up an appointment.