About Prostate Cancer
Every year in the U.S. more than 180,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer. That's roughly one out of every eight American males. It is second only to lung cancer as the leading cause of cancer death in men, claiming about 40,000 each year. Diagnosis and treatment methods have improved over the years. Yet the number of men contracting this very curable cancer continues to rise. Prostate cancer incidence rose by more than 141 percent between 1973 and 1994
According to the National Cancer Institute, prostate cancer's annual cost approaches $15 billion in medical care plus lost wages and productivity. Sadly, we spend more on care than on searching for a cure.
Prostate cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers in the U.S., if not the world. Fortunately, it is also one of the most treatable when detected early enough. At the Louis Warschaw Prostate Cancer Center we're arming patients with what they need to win the war against prostate cancer. The weapon of choice? Knowledge. That is, understanding if you're at risk for the disease, knowing what the symptoms are and finding out what the best treatment options may be.
Prostate Cancer Risk
All men are at risk for developing prostate cancer and should be screened regularly. We still don't know what causes prostate cancer. But we do know some of the factors that increase the risk of contracting the disease. Most of those risk factors fall into the following categories:
Age: The risk greatly increases as a man gets older, with the highest risk to men over age 65. It's important to note, however, that 25 percent of all cases occur in men under age 65.
Race/Ethnicity: Prostate cancer is more common in North America and Western Europe than in Africa, Asia and Latin America. African-Americans are twice as likely to develop the disease as their white counterparts. And although Asian men have the lowest rates of prostate cancer, when they move to the U.S., their risk rises to match that of whites.
Genes: If you have a close relative who's had prostate cancer, your risk for the disease is twice that of one who doesn't.
Anatomy of an Illness
The prostate is a male reproductive gland located in front of the rectum, just below the bladder. About the size and shape of a walnut, the prostate wraps around the urethra, which carries urine from the bladder through the tip of the penis. The prostate's job is to control the flow of urine and produce semen, the fluid that carries sperm.
The prostate is quite small until a boy reaches puberty and starts producing testosterone. Then, as he produces more of the hormone, the prostate becomes larger. For most men the prostate is not a source of problems until after the age of 40. That's when they're more likely to develop prostate enlargement (benign prostatic hyperplasia, BPH) or inflammation (prostatitis). These conditions can cause a lot of discomfort, but are not as serious as prostate cancer. Prostate cancer may not cause any symptoms until the later stages.
The prostate can be divided into three zones: peripheral, transition and central. The capsule surrounds the gland, separating it from the rest of the body. Prostate cancer that stays inside the capsule is considered localized and highly treatable.
Benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) tends to arise in the transition zone that surrounds the urethra.
Prostate tumors typically start in the peripheral area, the largest part of the gland. As the tumor grows, it first spreads inward. Before it interferes with urinary function, it has to become fairly large. Once the cancer spreads (metastisizes) beyond the capsule, it is more difficult to treat. First it invades the tissues around the prostate, and then it goes into the seminal vesicles. Thereafter it could spread into the pelvic lymph nodes and/or the bones. Left unchecked, prostate cancer can invade other organs, leading to death.
Early Detection Is Key
Fortunately most prostate cancers grow slowly and are easy to detect with regular exams. Since the early stages tend not to have symptoms, it's a good idea for men over 50 to make prostate screening a part of their regular checkup.
Prevention
Since we don't yet know what causes prostate cancer, prevention is a matter of educated guesswork based on knowing the risk factors.
We can't do much about our age, family history or race/ethnicity - all strong risk factors for prostate cancer. However, if the assumptions that high-fat, high-calcium, low-vegetable/fruit/ fiber diets increase the risk of prostate cancer, then perhaps you can take steps to reduce your risk. By adding more fruits, vegetables and fiber , and subtracting high animal fat and dairy products, you might not only prevent prostate cancer, you'll probably ward off a host of other serious illnesses.
