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Health Facts Prostate Cancer FAQ - Prostate Cancer
FAQs - Prostate Cancer
- What is the prostate gland?
- What is prostate cancer?
- What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?
- Are there any other diseases that mimic the symptoms of prostate cancer?
- Do high levels of sexual activity increase the risk of prostate cancer?
- Are there effective ways to detect prostate cancer prior to symptoms occurring?
- How accurate are the screening tests for prostate cancer?
- If the tests aren't totally accurate how is prostate cancer diagnosed?
- How is the severity of prostate cancer classified?
- How is localized (stage I and II) prostate cancer treated?
What is the prostate gland?
The prostate, a gland located in the pelvis of males, makes and stores a component of semen. The prostate surrounds part of the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder.
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What is prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer forms in the tissues of the prostate and is the second most common cancer in American men after skin cancer. Typically prostate cancer grows very slowly.
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What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?
Quite often there are no symptoms in the early stages of prostate cancer. By the time symptoms are apparent, the cancer may have spread to areas other than the prostate. Some of the symptoms of prostate cancer are:
- Urinary problems such as not being able to urinate, having a hard time starting or stopping the flow of urine, frequent urination urges, weak flow of urine, pain or burning during urination
- Trouble having an erection
- Blood in urine or semen
- Frequent pain in the lower back, hips or upper thighs
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Are there any other diseases that mimic the symptoms of prostate cancer?
Yes, enlargement of the prostate, or benign prostatic hyperplasia, is quite common as men age and this enlargement may mimic the symptoms of prostate cancer. The larger prostate gland may block the flow of urine or interfere with sexual function. Benign prostatic hyperplasia, often abbreviated as BPH, is not life-threatening but it may require treatment or surgery to relieve the symptoms.
Prostatitis is an inflammation or infection of the prostate gland that may also mimic the symptoms of prostate cancer. Treatment for prostatitis is designed to relieve the symptoms including fever, chills and burning during urination.
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Do high levels of sexual activity increase the risk of prostate cancer?
No, studies have shown that men who reported more frequent ejaculations had a lower risk of developing prostate cancer.
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Are there effective ways to detect prostate cancer prior to symptoms occurring?
Yes, a digital rectal exam and a blood test to detect the protein released by the prostate can be used to detect prostate cancer in the absence of symptoms. The blood test looks for prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, which is produced in larger amounts by the prostate when prostate cancer develops. The PSA test is becoming very widespread in the United States, so much so that approximately 90 percent of all prostate cancers are now being diagnosed at an early stage, greatly prolonging survival after diagnosis.
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How accurate are the screening tests for prostate cancer?
The screening tests for prostate cancer are not infallible. PSA may be elevated if other prostate problems are present such as benign prostatic hyperplasia or prostatitis. Therefore, there are many men who have elevated PSA tests, false positives, indicating cancer in men who do not actually have prostate cancer. There are also false negatives, men with low PSA tests who do have prostate cancer. The digital rectal exam may also product false positive and negative tests.
Using both the DRE and PSA helps more accurately detect the presence of prostate cancer.
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If the tests aren't totally accurate how is prostate cancer diagnosed?
To confirm a diagnosis of prostate cancer, a biopsy of the prostate tissue must be performed. This biopsy is usually performed under a local anesthetic in the physician's office. The tissue samples are then analyzed by a pathologist who checks for cancer cells.
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How is the severity of prostate cancer classified?
Prostate cancer is classified according to both stage and grade. The stage of prostate cancer describes the extent of the cancer. Early prostate cancer is localized and is classified as either stage I (cannot be felt in a physical examination) and II (can be detected with a digital rectal exam). Stage III prostate cancer goes beyond the gland and may be in the seminal vesicles. Stage IV prostate cancer has spread beyond the seminal vesicles to lymph nodes and/or other tissues and organs.
Grade indicates how closely the tumor resembles normal glandular prostate tissue. When looking at the tumor under a microscope, the pathologist will describe the tumor tissue as low, medium or high-grade cancer. There are different grading systems but all grading systems employ the same idea: the higher the score the higher the grade of the tumor. High-grade tumors will grow more quickly and are more likely to spread than low-grade tumors.
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How is localized (stage I and II) prostate cancer treated?
There are three treatment options that are generally used for men with localized prostate cancer: radical prostatectomy, radiation therapy and active surveillance.
Radical prostatectomy uses surgery to remove the entire prostate gland and nearby tissues. Lymph nodes may also be removed.
Radiation therapy uses delivery of radiation directly to the prostate; generally as an outpatient. Radiation can also be delivered by implanting radioactive seeds into or close to the tumor using a needle.
Active surveillance may be recommended for patients with low-grade prostate cancer when only a small amount of cancer is found during the biopsy. These patients are carefully monitored for progression of the cancer. They have regular appointments including PSA tests and perhaps scheduled biopsies. Elderly patients or patients with other medical problems may also benefit from active surveillance.
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