Treatment Options for Prostate Cancer

According to a well-known surgeon, most men who have prostate cancer immediately focus on treatment. That is a big mistake. Right now, forget about treatment. First, understand prostate cancer - about the meaning of PSA, Gleason score, stage, PSA nadir, microscopic capsule penetration and how to determine cure and cure rates for prostate cancer. Learn about the disease first and then let treatment outcome (cure and complication rates) determine your treatment decision and decision on a doctor.
Let's look at the PSA test:
Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a protein produced by the cells of the prostate gland. The PSA test measures the level of PSA in the blood. The doctor takes a blood sample, and the amount of PSA is measured in a laboratory. Because PSA is produced by the body and can be used to detect disease, it is sometimes called a biological marker or tumor marker.
It is normal for men to have low levels of PSA in their blood; however, prostate cancer or benign (not cancerous) conditions can increase PSA levels. As men age, both benign prostate conditions and prostate cancer become more frequent. The most common benign prostate conditions are prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) (enlargement of the prostate). There is no evidence that prostatitis or BPH causes cancer, but it is possible for a man to have one or both of these conditions and to develop prostate cancer as well.
PSA levels alone do not give doctors enough information to distinguish between benign prostate conditions and cancer. However, the doctor will take the result of the PSA test into account when deciding whether to check further for signs of prostate cancer.

Risk factors for prostate cancer

What do you think is the #1 risk factor for prostate cancer? Family history, previous cancer, race, age? According to the AMA, the #1 risk factor is age! If a man lives long enough, the chance is that he will get prostate cancer. More than 70 percent of men diagnosed with this disease are over the age of 65. African American men have a substantially higher risk of prostate cancer than white men, including Hispanic men. Dramatic differences in the incidence of prostate cancer are also seen in different populations around the world. There is some evidence that dietary factors are involved, such as vitamin E and selenium, which may have a protective effect. Genetic factors also appear to play a role, particularly for families in which the diagnosis is made in men under age 60. The risk of prostate cancer rises with the number of close relatives who have the disease.

A look at different treatments for prostate cancer

If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with prostate cancer you will definitely want to know some of the most popular and effective treatment options.
Treatment can be divided into hormonal options and chemical (chemotherapy) options. Doctors will first need to know if the cancer is contained to the gland, spread locally or metasticized to other parts of the body. The treatment options for organ-confined prostate cancer or locally advanced prostate cancer usually include surgery, radiation therapy, hormonal therapy, cryotherapy, combinations of some of these treatments, and watchful waiting. A cure for metastatic prostate cancer is, unfortunately, unattainable at the present time. The treatments for metastatic prostate cancer, which include hormonal therapy and chemotherapy, therefore, are considered palliative. By definition, the aims of palliative treatments are, at best, to slow the growth of the tumor and relieve the symptoms of the patient. This is where music therapy and music medicine can be a tremendous help to patients. We'll talk more about this in the next post!

What are the best tests for prostate cancer?

Maybe you've just received this frightening diagnosis and you want to believe it couldn't be true...what tests did your doctor run? Screening tests are those that are done at regular intervals to detect a disease such as prostate cancer at an early stage. If the result of a screening test is normal, the disease is presumed not to be present. If a screening test is abnormal, the disease is then suspected to be present, and further tests usually are needed to confirm the suspicion (that is, to make the diagnosis definitively). Prostate cancer usually is suspected initially because of an abnormality of one or both of the two screening tests that are used to detect prostate cancer. These screening tests are a digital rectal examination and a blood test called the prostate specific antigen (PSA).
In the digital rectal examination, the doctor feels (palpates) the prostate gland with his gloved index finger in the rectum to detect abnormalities of the gland. Thus, a lump, irregularity, or hardness felt on the surface of the gland is a finding that is suspicious for prostate cancer. Accordingly, doctors usually recommend doing a digital rectal examination annually in men age 40 and over.

Welcome to Prostate Cancer Facts

According to the AMA, prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in American men today. What is prostate cancer? Prostate cancer is a malignant (cancerous) tumor (growth) that consists of cells from the prostate gland. The tumor usually grows slowly and remains confined to the gland for many years. During this time, the tumor produces little or no symptoms or outward signs (abnormalities on physical examination). As the cancer advances, however, it can spread beyond the prostate into the surrounding tissues (local spread). Moreover, the cancer also can metastasize (spread even farther) throughout other areas of the body, such as the bones, lungs, and liver. Symptoms and signs, therefore, are more often associated with advanced prostate cancer.
Stay tuned for regular updates on causes and treatments for protate cancer. Feel free to email me with questions!