Prostate cancer is among the most commonly seen types of cancer in men. It is the most regularly diagnosed cancer in men, and secondary only to lung cancer in the number of cancer deaths. Prostate cancer is a dangerous disease for the reason that quite a few men don't even discover they have it until after it is too late to surgically remove it. Men need to be tested for it right after any signs or symptoms are felt.
Cancer in the prostate frequently spreads to the bones, commonly resulting in bone pain. A few patients develop spinal cord impingement from the epidural spread of the disease, resulting in pain and neurological compromise that, depending on the location of the spinal lesion, could result in irreversible loss of bowel and bladder function and the ability to walk.
Prostate cancer usually takes you by surprise, since there are not very many signs or symptoms. Early cancer symptoms are much like the symptoms resulting from a handful of other prostate infections; therefore, prostate cancer itself can be very hard to diagnose. If you are worried about certain signs or symptoms, you should see your family doctor or a general practitioner.
The most obvious signs of prostate cancer include; blood in urine, either gross (is visible by naked eye) or microscopic. The other symptoms are; inability to pass urine, pain while urinating, weight loss and swelling, etc. Usually there are no obvious signs of prostate cancer and the diagnosis of this condition is many times incidental.
Men with a dad or sibling with this cancer are 2x as prone to get the disease. So, what does this mean to the value of genetics in regards to the treatment of cancer? The study suggests that through the evaluation of a man's genome we will be able to predict his response to the drugs.
There have been some studies showing that walking briskly may help when you have prostate cancer. They found that men who walk at a speed of three miles per hour or more, for a minimum of three hours per week, were less likely to see their cancer progress.
The most suitable treatment for this type of cancer may not always be obvious. Treatment plans could vary depending on the size of the tumor. Treatment side effects can be similar for all forms of radiation therapy, although a lot of patients report a fewer number of side effects using proton therapy treatment. Therapy to recover erectile function should be part of every patient's recovery plan following the removal of the prostate, but early return of erectile function isn't possible in every case.
Being diagnosed with cancer can be a very scary situation. If caught early enough, prostate cancer can be treated very successfully. To learn more about survival rates, go to Prostate Cancer Survival Rate.
