Prostate Cancer Symptoms Tips What is prostate cancer symptoms? We have tips about prostate cancer symptoms

Ruth Steinman, MD, is a clinical associate professor of psychiatry at the Abramson Cancer Center. Here, Dr. Steinman discusses ways to tell children of all ages about a cancer diagnosis.

Many parents feel overwhelmed about their cancer diagnosis and how it affects their families, especially their children. They may wonder what they should tell their children, or how their children will react to their cancer diagnosis.

Each child copes with a parent’s cancer according to his or her phase of development and his or her coping style. Children can cope far better than parents imagine if there is an understanding of their developmental needs and how to maximize an important support system for their children.

Children old enough to speak should be told about a parent’s cancer diagnosis. Below are recommendations for how to tell children of any age group about a cancer diagnosis and what a parent can expect at certain ages and stages of development.

Infants (age 0 to 2)
Babies and very young children are sensitive to changes in their routine and may respond with increased fussiness to the change in emotional tone in the household. Increased difficulty with separation in not uncommon and sleep may become an issue.
Maintaining consistency in caregiving is very important.

Pre-school children (age 3 to 6)
Preschoolers do not need a lot of detailed information. Magical thinking is common: “My sister was born and then mommy got cancer so my sister caused mommy’s cancer” or “I made my mommy angry and that is what made her sick.” It’s important for parents to tell their children that they did not cause cancer.

Under stress, preschoolers can regress and problems can manifest around separation, toileting and bedtime. Maintaining routine is essential with familiar toys, sippy-cups, and a consistent bedtime routine. These routines may help lower anxiety and worry.

School-aged children (age 7 to 12)
School-aged kids can cope with more information, but they too need to be reminded that they are in no way are responsible for their parent’s cancer. These children often cope by fact-finding so they tend to ask a lot of questions. They worry about how the illness affects them socially. Support consistent engagement in school activities and friendships. Anger often shows before sadness.

Adolescents (age 13 to 20)
Adolescents can understand more abstract concepts about prognosis and uncertainty. Some may stay close and other’s may withdraw, show little emotion and become occupied with peer relationships and activities. Try to limit how much extra responsibility is given to teenagers and continue to maintain as much routine as possible. Support and foster relationships teenagers have with trustworthy adults.

What if they ask if I’m going to die?
If children ask about dying, tell them you are doing everything you can to get better. Reassure them you will be honest with them along the way and that when they have concerns, they should talk to you: “From what I’ve been told, I don’t expect to die from this cancer, but if there are any changes, I’ll talk to you about it.”

Help them learn the difference between when the treatment is making you sick and when symptoms are caused by cancer: “Many people are made better by these treatments but the cancer cells are pretty nasty and I need really strong medicine to make me better,” or “The treatment is making my hair fall out and making me so tired all the time—not the cancer.”

Learn more about talking to your child about your cancer diagnosis.

Ruth Steinman, MD, is a clinical associate professor of psychiatry at Penn’s Abramson Cancer Center. In this blog, Dr. Steinman discusses how to tell children about a cancer diagnosis and offers suggestions on how to make the conversation easier.

Children who are old enough to speak need to be told about a cancer diagnosis. Begin by identifying your illness by name without confusing euphemisms. Discuss how it will be treated and what will happen to you during treatment (losing your hair, feeling tired and so on). Tell them who will be taking them to soccer practice, cooking their meals and how their day-to-day lives may change.

Don’t let them overhear it
Prevent your children from hearing the news of your cancer by overhearing. Let them know what is happening and what to expect directly from you. Tell them you will let them know any new information that comes up.

Welcome all questions warmly
Your child needs to know they can talk to you about any topic. Be available to talk about what is on their minds at times when they are likely to talk to you such as in the car, while doing an activity or at bedtime.

Try to tease out the “real” question your child wants to ask
“What are you wondering about?”

Often the real worry is something much more concrete and readily addressed. For example, children may ask: “Will you be better by summertime?” Rather than a question about prognosis or a request for a guaranteed cure, they may be asking if they will go to summer camp as usual. Remember: not every question requires immediate or detailed answers. “That is a good question. Let me think about it/discuss it with daddy/ask my doctor/ and get back to you.”

Respect children who wish not to talk
You can still provide basic information in order to prevent confusion or surprises even with children who don’t want to talk. Check in from time to time and ask what they are hearing and make sure they are getting the right amount of information. Instead of asking: “How are you feeling about Mommy’s cancer?” ask: “How is it working out with Katie’s mom picking you up from practice?”

Don’t let your child worry alone
Kids often hear or read frightening information. Tell your children you understand that they may feel more comfortable talking about what is worrying them with someone else and that you will arrange this if that is the case.

Try to maintain your child’s usual schedule
Assign a point person for each child. Post schedules and calendars for caregivers. Keep the channels of communication open with key caregivers who provide appropriate emotional support and ensure your children’s routines are disrupted as little as possible.

Let your kid’s teachers know who they can go to if they are having a hard time. Make sure the teachers do not share the information with other children in the class. School should be free of cancer talk unless your children initiate the discussion. Ask the teachers not to share information about cancer or about someone else who went through a similar situation. This information, while given with well meaning, can be burdensome to children.

Carve out protected time for the family
Turn off telephones and tell friends and family not to visit during these times so that your children have your full attention without distractions. Ask about their day. Try to use this time to focus on the children and not on your illness.

Have support around hospital visits
Hospital visits often help children feel less worried. Have extra support people accompany your children to the hospital to allow you to adjust the length of the visit to what your children can comfortably manage. Younger children should have toys available. When visits are not possible, cards, drawings and such are helpful. Be sure to have an adult check in with each child after the visit to answer questions about what they saw or heard which might have been confusing or worrisome.

Be honest
Don’t lie, no matter how much you think a lie will protect them. Children are less anxious when they can trust that the information they get from you is true. We all want to promise our children that we will never die. It is important not to make promises you may not be able to keep.

Talking to children about end-of-life
Acknowledge that sometimes people die of cancer. Reinforce the plan for your treatment and the hope that it will keep the illness from getting worse. The most important worry for children is who will look after them if something happens to you. You need to assure them that no matter what happens, they will be cared for.

After Death
Children need to know they are loved and why they are loved. It is also important to:

• Maintain a routine for kids of all ages.
• Include children in rituals but explain beforehand what will happen: the coffin, people crying, that they can leave at any time and this is who will go with them (family or friend).
• As time goes on, demonstrate that it is ok to discuss good and bad memories. Help your children find a way to maintain an emotional, internal connection.

It can often be difficult to tell when children need professional intervention. Certainly if a child asks to speak with someone outside of the family, he or she should be helped to do so. Symptoms that may indicate a need for intervention include depressed mood or high anxiety for more than a couple of weeks, changes in appetite and/or sleep, risk-taking behavior, problems with school (academic or behavioral) and substance abuse. Any expression of suicidal thinking needs to be taken seriously and evaluated by a professional despite the resistance in doing so.

Read “Speaking with Children about Cancer”

Introduction

Many men are concerned about their prostate, especially the development of prostate cancer. Many sources tout the benefits of tomatoes in preventing prostate cancer in men. But is there sound medical research and studies that support this conclusion?

What Is In A Tomato

People who praise the benefits of tomatoes specifically point to the nutrient lycopene that is an antioxidant, as the key to preventing cancer.

Lycopene blocks free radicals that can damage the cells of your bodies. Some scientific studies have determined that people, who consume foods such as tomatoes that have lycopene, have a lower risk of cancer, especially prostate cancer.

Studies

Journal of the National Cancer Institute - In 2005 the Journal of the National Cancer Institute reported that the frequent consumption of tomato-based products could be connected with a reduced risk of prostate cancer.

The study appeared not to be very well controlled because it looked at men who were of Caucasian ancestry and Southern European descent who frequently consumed tomato based products. Based on this they concluded that a diet rich in tomato products reduced the chances of men developing prostate cancer.

But the report goes on to say that lycopene has not been proven to be the main ingredient that reduces your chances of developing prostate cancer. Plus the way I read the study, it was not well controlled, these men also drank a lot of red wine, which also could account for the decrease in prostate cancer.

National Cancer Institute and Seattle's Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research - A study by the National Cancer Institute and Seattle's Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research found that eating tomatoes had little if no effect on preventing cancer.

The American Cancer Institute is now saying that these studies are showing that men should focus on a healthy diet rather thank focusing on consuming a certain nutrient like lycopene.

American Cancer Society - A report out by the American Cancer Society says that some studies have shown a reduction in certain types of cancers, but other studies have not shown the same result and more research and study is needed.

They go on to say that a single nutrient may not be the key, but a diet rich in vegetables and fruits, that has many nutrients that when combined together, reduce the chances of you getting prostate cancer.

Conclusion

Though various studies have shown that eating a diet rich in tomatoes reduces your development of cancer, other studies have shown they have little to no effect. The current thinking is that to help reduce your chances of prostate cancer, you should eat a diet that is rich in all fruits and vegetables.

Jim Chase was diagnosed with an enlarged prostate when he was 56 and has done a lot of research to deal with this condition. To learn more about your prostate and how to keep yours healthy, visit http://www.squidoo.com/enlarged-prostate.

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Prostate cancer is the number one cancer affecting men in North America. The risk of getting prostate cancer increases with age, lifestyle and family history. While there is nothing you can do about aging, you can make some lifestyle changes that will help with prevention.

For better prostate health, avoid foods that are high in fat, like meats and dairy, that can elevate testosterone levels and can stimulate prostate cell enlargement and growth. Minimize alcohol consumption. Certain foods can also help prevent prostate cancer and slow down the growth.

Increase your intake of soy - use it to replace high fat foods like red meats and cheese. Increase your zinc by eating foods like pumpkin seeds in the shell, nuts, oysters and beans. Selenium is also important and can be found in tuna, eggs, shellfish, wheat germ, herring, kelp, onions, garlic, mushrooms, brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and cashews.

Exercise is very important for prostate health. It helps improve circulation and blood flow to the prostate gland. It also helps digestion which includes the removal of waste. Exercising also helps to keep the weight off since obesity leads to an increased risk. Be sure to get enough sleep as well. It helps with stress levels and allows the body to repair itself.

Early screening and detection is crucial, since success rates are very high when the cancer is in the early stages and confined to the prostate. Men over 50 should get annual screenings. While prostate cancer in men younger than 50 is rare, men with a family history of prostate cancer should begin screening at age 40.

For men that have been diagnosed with prostate cancer, they should speak to their urologists to consider treatment options. There are the traditional options like surgery and radiation, which can have unfortunate side effects including incontinence and impotency. There are also alternative treatments including chemotherapy, hormone therapy, cryotherapy, brachytherapy and high intensity focused ultrasound or HIFU.

HIFU is one of the newer prostate cancer treatments where high intensity focused ultrasound is used to destroy cancer tumors with pinpoint accuracy. The procedure is non-invasive and non-surgical, using computerized imaging and controlled by specially trained urological surgeons. The procedure takes approximately 2-2.5 hours and recovery time is much faster than with other forms of treatment. The success rate is similar to traditional treatment methods, like surgery and radiation, but with fewer side effects.

The procedure began in Europe, and there are now 10 year published results showing the high success rates. In North America, the procedure is not available in the U.S., but was approved in Canada in 2003. The first clinic to open in North America was the Maple Leaf HIFU clinic in Toronto. They have performed over 700 treatments - more than any other North American clinic. They are staffed by top urologists who prefer this less invasive option because of the positive outcome with fewer side effects. If you are diagnosed with prostate cancer, speak to your urologist about HIFU and other treatment options, and do your own research online.

Nancy Stonecutter is a nurse who writes about family and child care. She recommends the http://www.hifu.ca/ site for more information on this prostate cancer treatment option.

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Prostate cancer is the leading cancer among men in North America. Early detection is important since the outlook for successful treatment is very high with the earlier cancer stages. Prostate cancer can grow very slowly or be very aggressive, so your urologist will want to check your PSA levels and do a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis and monitor the disease. Younger men (50-80) faced with prostate cancer are often concerned with significant side effects after treatment. Radiation and surgery can often result in incontinence and impotence. General health, age and the stage of the cancer will also impact the treatment decision.

There are many options for prostate cancer treatment and recovery. The traditional treatments like surgery and radiation are still popular, but urologists are also recommending alternative treatment options including HIFU or High Intensity Focused Ultrasound.

HIFU is a prostate cancer treatment option that uses the heat from the ultrasound waves to kill the cancer in the prostate. The waves are focused and precise up to 1/10thof a millimeter. A specially trained urologist uses a computer controlled rectal probe to recreate a 3D image of the prostate on screen and fires 600-700 pin point accurate ultrasound rays to the targets on the prostate. HIFU can treat the prostate with minimal damage to surrounding tissues and organs. It is also non-invasive and non-surgical, done under a general or local anesthesia.

An outpatient HIFU procedure is beneficial because it helps individuals recover from the disease with fewer significant side effects than other prostate cancer options such as radiation therapy and radical prostatectomy surgery. In fact, no deaths have been reported with the HIFU type of treatment. More quality of life can be maintained after outpatient HIFU treatment is complete as it is much easier on the body.

Generally, individuals who choose this method only need one round of treatment, which can last 2-3 hours. However, more treatments can be scheduled if needed if the cancer is persistent and PSA scores are still elevated months later

Extensive research has been done on outpatient HIFU procedures. Within 48 hours of this treatment the complete destruction of the glandular tissue in the prostate area has begun and by three months it is replaced by a healthier fibrotic tissue. There is a residual effect in the PSA levels of individuals who undergo this treatment. Before beginning the program, these levels are often very high, but begin to regress once treatment has begun until they reach a normal low level.

The HIFU procedure does not require an extended stay. It can conveniently be done in licensed and registered HIFU clinic. The procedure is not available in the U.S., but it is available in Canada and Europe. Worldwide, over 30,000 men have treated their prostate cancer by HIFU.

Most published data and clinical results of more than 10 years of HIFU in Europe and North America are based on the Ablatherm HIFU device. There is one other HIFU device manufactured by a US company called Sonablate. The first North American clinic to offer the procedure was the Maple Leaf HIFU clinic. They began offering the procedure in 2005, shortly after Health Canada approved it in 2003. That clinic, located inside the Cleveland Clinic Canada, is the only North American clinic that offers the Ablatherm treatment. The clinic is staffed by top urologists and is licensed in the province of Ontario.

The HIFU prostate cancer treatment is gaining favor with patients and physicians as it is non-invasive and offers similar success rates to radiation and surgery. Anyone considering treatments should do their research and consider all the options available after discussing treatments with their urologist.

Barb Francis, aka Cooking Queen, is an author, food and health expert. She looks for natural and alternative treatments and foods to promote health and wellness.

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Prostate cancer is now the most common cancer affecting North American men. Over 180,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in the U.S. this year alone. In Canada, approximately 25,500 men will be diagnosed. It is estimated that 4,300 of those men will die from the disease, as it is the third leading cause of death among cancers.

The prostate is a chestnut size gland that is located in front of the rectum, behind the bladder. The prostate produces the majority of the seminal fluid that is used to transport sperm. There are no obvious signs of prostate cancer when it is in the early stages, and it may develop slowly at first. Early detection is crucial since the cure rate is much higher for early stages of the disease. Annual screenings are recommended for men over 50 years of age, or earlier for younger men if there is a history of prostate cancer in the family.

Prostate cancer occurs when cells do not follow the normal cycle of dividing, maturing and then dying, but outlive normal cells and form new, abnormal cells. These abnormal cell growths are called tumors. In order to determine the best course of treatment and the likelihood of a successful treatment outcome, urologists will perform a biopsy and assign a stage to describe the cancer. The stages are classified according to T-N-M (tumor-nodal metastasis and other metastasis). The stages indicate the size and number of the tumors, and if the diseases has spread beyond the prostate. The earliest stage (T-1) has a 90% or higher cure rate. The highest stage (T-4) responds poorly to all forms of treatment as the disease is locally extensive. Therefore, early screening and treatment is the key to success.

If you have been diagnosed with prostate cancer, you will need to consider your treatment options. The best option for you will vary depending on your age, health and personal preferences. The most common traditional options are radiation and surgery (radical prostatectomy). These options can be very hard on the body, with longer recuperation times and possible side effects including impotency and incontinence. Other non-surgical prostate cancer treatment options include hormone therapy, chemotherapy, brachytherapy and cryotherapy. Another one of the newer treatment options that is gaining favor with urologists and patients is HIFU or High Intensity Focused Ultrasound.

With HIFU, ultrasound waves are delivered with pinpoint accuracy to heat and destroy tumors on the prostate. The procedure lasts approximately 2-3 hours and is out-patient based. Since it is non-surgical and non-invasive, recovery is faster and there are fewer side effects. Success rates compare favorably to surgery and radiation. HIFU is not available in the U.S., but it is available in Canada and Europe. The first HIFU clinic was opened in Toronto in 2005, shortly after Health Canada approved the treatment in 2003. The Maple Leaf HIFU clinic in Toronto has treated over 700 patients, more than any other North American clinic. Over 30,000 men have been treated by HIFU worldwide. There are now documented clinical studies and research that date back over the past decade showing success rates for Ablatherm HIFU that are favorable to those of radical prostatectomy or radiation.

The best choice of treatment will also depend on your health, age, any prior treatments and lifestyle, as well as insurance and finances. If you have prostate cancer, learn more about surviving prostate cancer and the treatment options available to you by doing your research online and discussing options with your urologist and loved ones.

Barb Francis, aka Cooking Queen, is an author, health and kitchen expert. Barb believes healthy living can prevent or cure most diseases, and many foods have curative properties that can keep us healthy and disease free. http://www.cookingqueen.wordpress.com/

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Physiology

Prostate cancer begins in the prostate, a chestnut shaped gland located in the base of a man's bladder just in front of the rectum. The prostate forms part of the male reproductive and urinary system and surrounds the base or neck of the bladder. It has two lobes that surround the urethra. The urethra carries urine from the bladder, through the prostate and then out through the penis. The size of the prostate will vary from one man to another and will range from the size of a walnut to that of a small apple. The size of a man's prostate usually increases with age. The prostate itself is covered in a layer of connective tissue called the prostatic capsule.

It is responsible for producing seminal fluid, the liquid that a man's semen is carried in during orgasm. It also plays a part in controlling the flow of urine. The lobes that surround the urethra contain muscle fibres that contract to slow or stop the flow of urine through the urethra.

Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer will be found in almost 26,000 men this year. Twenty six thousand more men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer next year and another 26,000+ the year after that. In fact, prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Canadian men.

While there is no known single cause of prostate cancer, some indicators figure larger than others. What is known is the risk of a man developing prostate cancer increases significantly with age. Few men under the age of 50 have been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Most prostate cancers are found in men around the age of 65 and higher. Another factor is whether any blood relatives have developed prostate cancer. Your chances of developing this disease increase markedly if family members have developed it.

In addition, men of African descent are 60% more likely to develop prostate cancer than Caucasian men while Asian men are least likely to develop it. The reasons for the disparity are not known.

Early Signs and Detection

Early detection of the disease is critical. This disease does not have many symptoms in its early stages. Symptoms become more serious and numerous as the cancer advances. Because other conditions can have similar symptoms, having any of the symptoms listed below does not necessarily mean you have cancer. What is important is having yourself checked if they develop.

The first sign may be a change in bladder habits:

Do you find you need to urinate more frequently?Do you have to get out of bed to urinate once, twice or even three times a night?Do you find your need to urinate is sometimes intenseDo you ever have difficulty in getting your urine flow started?Do you have trouble in stopping your urine flow?Do you find you sometimes cannot urinate at all?Is your urine flow weak or decreased?Have you experienced a stoppage in urine flow?Have you had the sensation that your bladder has not completely emptied after urination?Have you experienced pain or a burning sensation while urinating?Other signs may be blood in your urine or semen or pain during orgasm.

If you have experienced one or more of these symptoms, you should speak to your doctor and get checked.

Later Signs and Symptoms

Prostate cancer is typically a slow-growing cancer. Symptoms usually begin to appear after the tumour becomes large enough to affect the surrounding tissues and organs. As the cancer progresses, other late signs and symptoms may appear.

You may experience pain in your bones or joints, especially in your back, hips, thighs and neck. You might experience weight loss or feel a general fatigue. You may also feel weakness or numbness in your legs or feet. Another sign is a low red blood cell count or anemia. This will be detected by blood tests carried out by your doctor. And finally, you may experience a loss of bladder control or bowel control.

Early detection and screening are crucial since the cure rate is quite high when caught in the early stages. Once the cancer metastasizes (spreads) outside of the prostate, cure is very unlikely. It is best to get regular screenings before you notice any prostate cancer symptoms, since symptoms are rarely felt in the early stages of the disease.

Barb Francis, is an author and natural health expert. She studies alternative treatments to traditional drugs and medicine and disease prevention through healthy eating.

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High Intensity Focused Ultrasound has been used to treat prostate cancer for over a decade in Europe, and has been approved for treatment in Canada since 2003. It is not currently available in the U.S. The cure rate using HIFU is similar to the traditional treatment methods of surgery and radiation, but with fewer significant side effects and less negative effect on quality of life.

Who Can Benefit From HIFU?

HIFU therapy is recommended for patients with localized T1 and T2 stages of prostate cancer. It is frequently chosen over more traditional surgical or radiotherapy treatments due to its low complication rate and relatively small chance of significant side effects.

Where impotence and radiation burns are common side effects from traditional treatments, side effects from HIFU are less radical and there are fewer occurrences of impotency and incontinence.

High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU)

Ablatherm HIFU does not involve surgery but instead uses high intensity focused ultrasound waves to destroy cancerous prostate tissue. It is done on an out-patient basis so there is typically no hospital stay required.

A local spinal anesthetic is used in combination with sedation through intravenous. A probe is inserted into the patient's rectum and a focused beam of ultrasound waves is projected at the cancerous tissue on the prostate. The prostate is located in front of the rectum, so the computer guided probe can deliver the ultrasound waves through the rectal wall. A specially trained urological surgeon controls the procedure.

The prostate tissue targeted is heated to temperatures in excess of 85°C destroying the cancerous cells. This process is repeated with a variable focal point until all of the cancerous material has been heated and destroyed. To treat the whole of the affected prostate area typically takes up to 3 hours.

Immediately after the treatment, swelling of the prostate is expected. A temporary urinary catheter is put into place until the swelling recedes. This usually takes up to 14 days depending on the patient.

Follow Up

The patient is discharged the day of the treatment with no dietary restrictions. The catheter can be removed roughly 14 days later. Antibiotics are prescribed for 2 weeks and PSA levels will be monitored for 3 months following the treatment.

Some complications that may occur are,

Mild bleeding in the first stream when urinatingFrequent and possibly an urgent need to urinateUrinary leakage upon physical exertion

Cure Rates

Prostate cancer is a condition where cells within the prostate grow uncontrollably, often creating multiple small tumors within the gland. Early detection of the disease is critical because the cure rate is in excess of 90% when the cancer is confined to the prostate gland.

One treatment option using HIFU therapy is to spare the nerve entering the prostate when no cancerous cells have been detected in the nerve. If PSA levels after treatment remain high, the treatment can be repeated.

In a 5 year study at the University of Regensburg, Ablatherm HIFU resulted in over 93% of patients with T1 or T2, that is, prostate confined cancer, showing no return of cancer cells 22 months after treatment.

Side effects recorded during this study were minimal for the most part.

Death 0%Digestive complications 0%Mild to moderate urinary incontinence 5%Total urinary incontinence < 1%Blockage of the urethra 8%Sexual impotence with nerve-sparing procedure 20%Sexual impotence without nerve-sparing procedure 66%

Another positive result from this study was that none of the patients reported a decline in their quality of life after completion of the treatment.

The overall findings of this study and usage of this procedure since the study show that HIFU prostate cancer treatment can provide a cure of the disease if it is caught in its early stages.

Repeat Treatments

Because HIFU prostate cancer therapy is non invasive, it can be repeated or used as a follow-up to external beam radiation therapy. Patients showing a recurrence of the disease after treatment remain eligible for a repeat procedure or for surgery, radiotherapy or hormone therapy where required. HIFU therapy has proven itself to be an effective first treatment for early stage prostate cancer patients. Research is continuing to assess its effectiveness against more advanced cancers. For North American men, the Ablatherm HIFU treatment is currently only available at the Maple Leaf HIFU clinic in downtown Toronto.

Nancy Stonecutter is a nurse who writes about family and men's health.

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The prostate gland is an organ situated at the neck of the urinary bladder. A malignant growth of the prostate is known as prostate cancer, which usually grows very slowly and does not exhibit any major symptoms in the first few years. Advanced prostate cancer spreads to the surrounding tissues and also to other parts of the body such as bones, lungs, and liver. Symptoms of this cancer are therefore more related to an advanced state of this condition.

Advanced prostate cancer is of special significance since it is the most common cancer in American men and is the second leading cause of death after lung cancer. It causes symptoms such as pain in the lower abdomen, slow passage of urine, the presence of blood in the urine, and lower back pain. A spread to the liver can cause pain in the upper right part of the abdomen as well as jaundice, while the spread of the cancer to the lungs can cause symptoms such as cough, breathlessness, and hemoptysis.

Prostate cancer can often be suspected during routine screening because of high PSA levels. Confirmation of the diagnosis of prostate cancer can be done by a digital rectal examination, PSA level testing, ultrasound examination, and biopsy of the prostate gland. Advanced prostate cancer needs further investigations like CT scan of the abdomen, CT scan of the chest, and possibly a PET bone scan. Biopsy examination is graded according to the Gleason scale and reflects the aggressiveness of the tumour, with scores of 7 to 10 indicating a rapidly growing tumour with a very poor prognosis. Gleason scores are also useful in predicting the risk of death from this tumour. Men with Gleason scores of 2 to 4 face a minimal risk (4 to 7%) of death from prostate cancer over the next 15 years, while men with scores of 8 to 10 face a high risk (60 to 87%) of death.

The tumour is also staged according to alphabets A, B, C and D or according to the TNM (tumour, [lymph] node, and metastasis) mode of classification, in order to decide the overall prognosis of the tumour as well as the management and treatment plan. Surgery, cryotherapy, radiation therapy, hormonal therapy and chemotherapy are the treatment modalities useful in the management of prostate cancer. Local tumour, or locally advanced tumour is usually treated with a combination of surgery, cryotherapy, and radiation therapy. In the initial stages, watchful waiting is also considered a part of treatment, because of the slow growth of the tumour. Hormonal therapy and chemotherapy are considered for metastatic tumour, when it has spread to other parts of the body; however, treatment at this stage is considered to be palliative and not curative.

In this scenario, Ayurvedic herbal treatment can prove to be a boon for patients with locally advanced prostate cancer or metastatic tumour. Ayurvedic treatment can also prove to be very useful for patients with recurrent tumour, who have completed the full course of conventional treatment. Advanced or metastatic tumour needs aggressive treatment and therefore, Ayurvedic treatment for this condition needs to be instituted at the earliest, with the herbs being given in high doses. Herbal medicines which are useful in this condition have a specific affinity for the prostate and urinary tract, and also target the cancer cells within the tumour. These medicines are given in combination with other herbal medicines which have an immunomodulatory effect, so that the combined effect serves to treat the tumour at the earliest, prevents its spread to other parts of the body, and also prevents a recurrence of the condition. The added advantage of these medicines is that they do not exhibit any major toxicity even if used for prolonged periods and in high doses.

Some medicines useful in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer include Gokshur (Tribulus terrestris), Varun (Craetea nurvala), Saariva (Hemidesmus indicus), Manjishtha (Rubia cordifolia), Amalaki (Emblica officinalis), Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia), Gokshuradi Guggulu, Chandraprabha Vati, Kanchnaar Guggulu, and Maha-Manjishthadi Qadha. The combination of Ayurvedic herbal and herbo-mineral medicines has to be tailor-made according to the presentation of symptoms and the severity of the tumour in each individual. Ayurvedic treatment normally needs to be given for about 9 to12 months in order to bring about significant remission of advanced prostate cancer, as well as prevent or treat metastatic tumour. The judicious use of Ayurvedic medicines can significantly improve quality of life and the overall life span of individuals affected with advanced disease.

Such Ayurvedic herbal and herbo-mineral combinations are equally useful in patients with recurrent prostate cancer; in such individuals, immunomodulatory treatment acquires special significance, since a strong immune system helps to fight against the tumour and prevents spread or recurrence. Needless to say, Ayurvedic treatment can prove to be most useful when started at the earliest possible, and therefore it would be logical to initiate this treatment along with other conventional treatment even for individuals having localised or low-risk prostate cancer.

Ayurvedic herbal treatment thus has a definite role to play in the management and treatment of advanced prostate cancer.

Dr. A. A. Mundewadi is Chief Ayurvedic Physician at Mundewadi Ayurvedic Clinic based at Thane, Maharashtra, India. He is available as an online Ayurvedic Consultant at http://www.ayurvedaphysician.com/
The online clinic offers Ayurvedic treatment for all chronic and refractory health problems. Dr. A. A. Mundewadi, B.A.M.S., has clinical experience of over 25 years and clinical research experience of 12 years. He has conducted extensive research in HIV infection, Schizophrenia and many other chronic diseases.

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If you've just been recently diagnosed with prostate cancer, don't despair. If it's any consolation, prostate cancer is a highly treatable disease. In fact it's 100% curable given that the cancer has been detected in its early stages.

Add to that the fact that prostate cancer is a slow growing cancer and the picture need not be bleak. Which means that all men could still expect to survive at least 5 years following diagnosis. And a pretty good chance that you could still be seeing yourself in the mirror 10 to 15 years from now. Reason why several men with prostate cancer die not because of the cancer but of other causes such as heart disease, stroke, or some other life-threatening ailments.

Still this cancer of the prostate gland is not something to be taken lightly. Considering that you have better prognosis when it's early detected and when it's given prompt treatment. Therefore, it is crucial that you talk it out with your doctor on what treatment plan is the most suitable for you. Doing so in a calm and deliberate way because there is no need to panic here.

Radical Prostatectomy - Defined: The first question that comes to mind when you've been diagnosed with prostate cancer is what treatment option do you have? When the cancer cells are still localized and your Gleason score is low, a common treatment option taken by many patients is the prostate cancer surgery. Also known as radical prostatectomy, prostate surgery involves the surgical removal of the entire prostate gland and the seminal vesicles. In some cases, the nearby lymph nodes may have to be removed as well depending on the judgment of the surgeon.

Types of Prostate Cancer Surgery
When prostate surgery makes it to the short list, the next question is what type of surgery.

Open surgery involves making a large, 4-inch incision on the abdomen in order to get to the prostate taken out.

Laparascopic prostatectomy is a minimally invasive surgery. What that means is a series of small incisions are made on the abdomen.

Specialized instruments used for the small incisions are then inserted through a pencil- thin, lighted tube called the laparoscope. The laparoscope is also equipped with camera lenses that will magnify the images of the tissues. These images are then transmitted to a TV monitor so the surgeon has a good view of what he or she is doing.

Robotic surgery is a subtype of laparoscopic surgery. In this case a robot does the surgery while being controlled by the surgeon. Also coined as the da Vinci robot, this procedure was really intended to reduce the risks brought about by open surgery. As a result, you get to expect less pain, less bleeding, shorter time of recovery, less discomfort during recovery, and less chance of waking up in post op facing side effects like impotency and incontinence. Because of these many benefits, more and more prostate cancer patients are looking into this approach.

Nerve sparing surgical techniques may also be employed which involves preserving the nerve endings that control bladder and sexual functions in order to again reduce the risk of side effects.

Recovery Period
Patients who undergo prostate cancer surgery usually have to stay in the hospital for 2-3 days while total recovery is expected in 4-6 weeks.

After the procedure, a catheter will be inserted into the penis in order to drain the bladder. This stays with you within 10-14 days to allow sufficient time for the wound to heal following surgery. While unpleasant it's simply a fact of life with this treatment option. It's something you just have to deal with.

Anticipating the Side Effects
The two most common side effects of prostate surgery are incontinence and impotence. Frequent visits to the public restrooms are common. And it is not an unusual scenario to find yourself stuffing your grocery cart with male pads and adult diapers. The sex life you once had may also go on hiatus. Much to your chagrin you may find that you're not the same wild man in bed you once were. Hopefully your wife will learn to accept that too.

Because of these changes in your daily routine, you can't also help but be affected emotionally and mentally. Many men who have undergone the surgery were reported to experience depression and shock since they could no longer normally enjoy their sex lives.

But these side effects are likely to pretty much diminish over time. Some men noted that their lives got back to normal after two years. However, the rate of sexual recovery will vary from person to person. And it depends on what you're willing to do. For example a guy who consistently does Kegel exercises may be able to recover from problems with incontinence faster than a person who does not perform such bladder control routines.

Deciding to undergo prostate cancer surgery is something you need to think about carefully. You need to weigh out the benefits of the surgery and its risks. It's also best to discuss these to your doctor so he can thoroughly guide you in managing your disease.

Protecting men from themselves is a full time job. Whether it's explaining the ins and outs of prostate cancer treatments to what to make of your Gleason score. ProblemProstate.com can help with that and other prostate health issues.

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Throughout North America, Europe and Japan, prostate cancer has touched the lives of approximately 38 million men. In many cases, it develops slowly and displays few if any symptoms. Because this form of cancer is most common in men over fifty, a large number of diagnosed cases will in fact die of unrelated causes, such as heart disease or even old age.

This, however, is of small comfort to that sizable minority of cases in which prostate cancer develops quickly and aggressively (roughly one-third of the total). For these unlucky patients, mortality rates are higher than those of all other forms of cancer, save cancer of the lungs. Finding alternatives to traditional prostate cancer treatments becomes more important since the best treatment option will vary based on the patient's health, age and preferences.

The traditional treatment for this disease involves prostatectomy, a surgery to remove the entire prostate as well as the surrounding lymph nodes, deferent canals, and bladder neck. This operation will usually take one of three forms, the most common being a trans-urethral resection of the prostate, or TURP. A loop of wire charged with a mono-polar flow of electrical current is shunted through a resectoscope, in order to cut out the cancerous tissue.

An open prostatectomy, on the other hand, involves making an incision in the abdomen or perineum (located midway between the rectum and scrotum), through which the cancerous organ can be removed. A laparoscopic radical prostatectomy is very similar to this procedure. Here, a computerized device is inserted through a series of abdominal incisions, which a surgeon uses to remove the cancerous gland.

The problem with all three of these procedures is their attendant high risks of producing impotence and erectile dysfunction. The risk and extent of this complication will depend somewhat upon the surgeon, but there is very little chance that a patient's sexual performance will be wholly unaffected by the operation. There are usually other numerous (and serious) complications, as well as a lengthy period of recovery.

In cases where the cancer is discovered later, or has continued to spread into the pelvis, radiation is often considered as a treatment option. Usually, radiation treatment is deployed through X-ray beams, or by the implantation of radio-active seeds implanted into the cancerous gland. As might be expected, there are a number of drawbacks to this kind of procedure. As with prostatectomies, the chance of being rendered impotent by doses of radiation is extremely high. The rectum and bladder are routinely impaired, producing incontinence, bleeding in the rectum and bladder, and blockage of urinary flow, among other side effects. Finally, radiation treatments are completely ruled out as a treatment possibility once the cancer spreads into the lymph nodes.

In cases where the disease spreads from the prostate into other parts of the body, or the cancer has recurred after a series of treatments, hormone therapy is considered as an option. By surgically removing the patient's testicles, or injecting the body with androgen blockers, the cancer is deprived of hormones vital to its reproduction. While this option has been known to add decades to a patient's life, it does not actually eliminate the disease. Also, erectile dysfunction and impotence are a major risk, as are depression, mood swings, and a significant loss of muscle strength.

A newer prostate cancer treatment alternative to the three treatment options outlined above is called High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (or HIFU for short). Using images gathered from a probe inserted into the rectum, doctors are able to map out an outline of the prostate, and deliver a precisely calibrated ultrasound wave through the rectal wall, destroying cancerous cells using heat energy. Because the wave is so precise - to a tenth of a millimeter, the tissue surrounding the affected area isn't significantly damaged - this, in marked contrast to surgical, hormonal, and radioactive treatments. Of course, not everyone is eligible for the procedure, and it's important to discuss the available options with one's doctor. Nevertheless, HIFU represents a distinct new opportunity for men with prostate cancer, looking for a chance at recovery.

Nancy Stonecutter is a nurse who writes about family and men's health. Visit her blog at http://www.nancythenurse.wordpress.com/ for more information.

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Introduction

When men reach and exceed 50 years of age, they become aware of problems they can develop with their prostate. The two major complications that could develop are an enlarged prostate and cancer of the prostate.

According to the Prostate Cancer Foundation onein six men or 18 per cent of men in the United States will develop prostate cancer. Comparing that to developing an enlarged prostate, where all men, if they live long enough, will develop an enlarged prostate.

What is cancer of the prostate and what are three symptoms of prostate cancer?

Cancer Of The Prostate

Cancer of the prostate usually develops on the outside of the prostate. This is the reason your doctor performs a digital rectal exam on your prostate. Your doctor is feeling for the smoothness of your prostate by feeling through your rectum.

If your prostate feels hard or lumpy, then your doctor may call for an ultrasound or biopsy of your prostate to determine if you have cancer. But what symptoms can you see without seeing a doctor?

3 Symptoms Of Prostate Cancer

Since some of the symptoms of prostate cancer are similar to an enlarged prostate, such as weak urine stream and trouble urinating, lets look at symptoms that are not similar to an enlarged prostate.
Blood In The Urine- This could also mean you have a kidney infection or you may even have a urinary tract infection.Blood In Your Semen- When you see blood in your semen do not panic; it is most likely caused by some other problem and is more than likely not cancer.Discomfort In The Pelvic Area- Besides cancer there are a number of other conditions such as hemorrhoids, nerve damage or even mental conditions that can cause discomfort in the pelvic area.

Though you may have these conditions, it is not indicative that you have cancer. Even a PSA test cannot determine if you have prostate cancer or not. In fact you may have a normal PSA score and still have prostate cancer.

The best method is to have a digital rectal exam that can then lead to an ultra sound or biopsy of your prostate.

Conclusion

Only 18% of men will develop this condition in their lifetime and when detected early the survival rate of men with this type of cancer is higher than any other types of cancer.

The best thing to do is to care for your prostate by eating the right foods, exercising and providing the right minerals.

Jim Chase was diagnosed with an enlarged prostate when he was 56 and has done a lot of research to deal with this condition. To learn more about your prostate and how he is keeping his healthy, visit http://www.squidoo.com/enlarged-prostate.

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Prostate cancer, or the malignant tumor involving the prostate glands, is a disease that can adversely affect the patient's everyday life. Like any other serious health concerns, this type of cancer can pose risks to the physical being and can affect the other aspects of a person's life. Thankfully, doctors can now treat prostate cancer thanks to advances in medical techniques and enabling technologies.

Prostatectomy, or the surgical removal of the prostate gland parts, is a vital part of the entire battle against this cancer. Through this, the cancer cells growing on the male organ can be eliminated and threats can somehow be minimized. Nevertheless, this surgical operation has two wicked twins - incontinence and impotence - that patients and their respective families should learn how to manage properly to avoid inconvenience and tackle depression.

It cannot be denied that having bladder problems is a major dilemma affecting the physicality, as well as other life facets of a person including emotional, psychological, social, and professional aspects. That is why between incontinence and impotence, the former is a graver conundrum for men. Impotence or the lack of strength to sustain erection is a concern that just breeds deep melancholy, while incontinence often becomes an object of shame, frustration, and insults.

Fortunately, this problem is no longer unmanageable like it used to be. Before, patients recovering from prostatectomy need to carry catheters for the rest of their lives, or stay at home to prevent the struggling against their uncontrollable bladders. Now, that setup has changed with the help of pad products such as Tena for MEN.

Tena for MEN are designed especially for bladder weakness that comes after a prostate cancer operation, but unlike other adult diaper variants, this product has an innovative anatomical design that can grant patients with greater comfort after they have removed their catheters. In addition, the snug fit can allow male patients to walk confidently outdoors since there are no noticeable pad bulks.

Apart from that, these male pads are equipped with an adhesive strip that can be easily worn with regular close-fitting underwear and a ph-balance surface to help control odor. With that, male patients can be given ease as they recuperate from the operation, and they can be presented with confidence that they can use to face the other phases of the cancer medication. Above all, these diapers and other variants such as Tena overnight pads can be purchased effortlessly through online resellers; hence, patients and their families can have a quick and easy access to these helpful products.

For more details, search Tena for MEN in Google.

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Cancer can strike many parts of the body, but in men, it is especially prone to attack the prostate, a small gland located between the rectum and the bladder. Excluding skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer in Canadian and American males. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, approximately 25,500 Canadians were diagnosed with prostate cancer in the past year alone, resulting in over four thousand deaths. One in seven men will be diagnosed with the disease at some point during their lifetime. And, due to the average increased life span of North Americans, prevalence rates of prostate cancer are rising.

The disease occurs when cells within the prostate gland mutate, and form a cluster of cancer cells. Eventually, this cluster multiplies and spreads into healthy tissue, which in turn leads to the creation of a tumor. When a tumor expands past a certain point, it usually begins to encroach on other organs or glands. Tumor cells have also been known to travel through the body by way of the lymphatic system, or bloodstream, and frequently invade the rectum and bladder. Although far more research is needed to explain the exact causes of this disease, it is known that a person's diet, age and family history can affect their chances of contracting it.

During its earliest stages, prostate cancer is often undetectable. In a few cases, sufferers will experience difficulties with normal urinary functioning, and even pain while urinating. Because the diseased gland is involved in the production of semen, sexual performance can also be impacted, resulting in erectile dysfunction, as well as pain during ejaculation.

Once the cancer has spread into other organs, symptoms will usually become more numerous and more varied. Many experience pain in their spines and ribs, and report a weakness in their legs. Incontinence is also not uncommon.

The traditional method of confirming the presence of prostate cancer is a biopsy, by which a tiny portion of a patient's prostate is removed and examined for cancerous growths. Once the disease is detected, it is crucial to find out how far it has spread. To find this out, doctors examine a tumor's size, giving it a grade from 2 up to 10, based on a rating system called the Gleason score. Pathologists also look to see how many lymph nodes have been affected, and to what degree.

Once cancer is confirmed, the decision needs to be made whether some kind of treatment is needed right away. In the case of many geriatric patients, the cancer can be so slow to develop that death will occur before any related symptoms become evident. If medical intervention is advisable, the form it will take will depend on a patient's age and health. It is important that a sufferer of prostate cancer talk over all available treatment options thoroughly with their G.P, in order to make an informed decision.

The least severe form of intervention is called "active surveillance," and basically amounts to close monitoring of the tumor, through a combination of physical examinations and biopsies. As soon as the cancer becomes aggressive and begins to spread quickly, aggressive action will usually be taken to remove the diseased tissue. This will take the form of surgery, radiation therapy, or High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU), among other options. If the cancer has been discovered too late, or if efforts to contain it within the prostate gland have failed, more intensive treatment options such as chemotherapy or hormonal therapy will be considered. Those treatments cannot cure the cancer, they can only prolong the life of the patient.

Whatever treatment - or combination of treatments - a patient eventually decides upon, it is important to stress the importance of detecting prostate cancer early on. The Prostate Cancer Canada Network estimates that 90% of prostate cancer cases are curable, when the disease is detected and treated during its earliest stages. By keeping to a balanced and nutritious diet, and getting tested regularly, one can do a lot to ameliorate the serious dangers and health risks of prostate cancer. If you need treatment, less invasive options like the HIFU prostate cancer treatment can offer high cure rates, with less serious side effects. Discuss all your options with your urologist and loved ones.

Nancy Stonecutter is a nurse who writes about family and men's health. Visit her blog at http://www.nancythenurse.wordpress.com/ for more information.

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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.

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Most people are familiar with traditional treatment options for prostate cancer including surgery (radical prostatectomy) and radiation. There are other alternatives that can yield the same success rates. Using High Intensity Focused Ultrasound to treat prostate cancer continues to increase in favor with patients and urologists alike. The main benefits are that it is a non- invasive, one time outpatient procedure with quicker recovery time and fewer side effects.

Prostate cancer is the leading cancer for men in North America and men over 50 should get regular screenings. The screenings will consist of a digital rectal exam where your doctor checks the prostate for tumors via a gloved finger inserted into the rectum. If tumors or cancer is suspected, your doctor will order additional tests including a PSA - or prostate-specific antigen test. The only way to confirm prostate cancer is with a biopsy. If prostate cancer is confirmed, the doctor will want to determine what stage the cancer is in, and if it is confined to the prostate or if it has spread to outside tissue or other organs.

Survival rates are very high when prostate cancer is treated in the early stages. There are several options available to treat the prostate cancer, which will depend on the stage of the cancer as well as the age and health of the man being treated.

With radical prostatectomies, or surgery, the entire prostate is removed. Since nerves around the prostate can be damaged during surgery, nerve sparing surgery is usually performed. Nerve damage can result in erectile dysfunction and/or urinary incontinence. Younger men, between 50 and 75, that are affected with prostate cancer are usually concerned with these significant side effects which result from some prostate cancer treatments.

High Intensity Focused Ultrasound results in fewer significant side effects since damage to surrounding nerves and organs is minimal. With this procedure, the heat from the ultrasound waves destroys the cancer in the prostate. An urologist trained in HIFU uses a computer controlled rectal probe which recreates a 3D image of the prostate on a high resolution computer screen. The computer program controls the firing of 600-700 pin point accurate rays to the targets on the prostate. The ultrasound waves are focused and delivered through the rectum, with computerized controls in place that halt the process if the sensors detect any movement. The ultrasound waves are very focused on their targets and precise up to 1/10th of a millimeter. With Ablatherm HIFU, there is minimal risk of damage to local tissues. Since it is a single treatment done on an ambulatory basis, it does not affect the patient's sense of well-being. The traditional treatments of surgery and radiation do alter the patient's sense of well-being as they are very invasive procedures and can result in significant side effects.

HIFU has gained in popularity over the years as the research and results continue to prove its effectiveness and success rates. HIFU clinical results date back over 10 years from European study results. HIFU was approved by Health Canada in 2003.

In North America, the first clinic to offer high intensity focused ultrasound as a treatment option for prostate cancer was Maple Leaf HIFU. This clinic offers world class procedures inside the Cleveland Clinic Canada in Toronto. Maple Leaf HIFU is licensed by the province of Ontario and all its physicians are registered with the Royal College of Physicians in Canada. Since HIFU has not yet been approved in the U.S., many Americans travel to Toronto for the procedure.

The medical director is urological surgeon, professor and published author William Orovan. He became involved with HIFU after almost 30 years performing prostatectomies since he believed that an effective, non-invasive option was a step in a better direction.

HIFU has had comparable rates of success to the more invasive surgery and radiation, but with fewer side effects and down time. HIFU is a prostate cancer treatment option that should be considered by all men diagnosed with organ confined prostate cancer. Learn more about the HIFU prostate cancer treatment and discuss your options with your urologist.

Nancy Stonecutter is a nurse who writes about family, mens and child care. Visit her blog at http://www.nancythenurse.wordpress.com/ for more information.

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One of the most prominent prostate cancer treatments available is high intensity focused ultrasound, or HIFU. This updated technology helps men by removing cancerous tissue on the prostate and around it via an advanced acoustic ablation technique using ultrasound wave powers. The area where the cancer is forming is targeted via sound waves enabling HIFU to raise the tissue's temperature, causing the tissue to break down, thus eliminating the cancer.

Many physicians recommend HIFU because of the limited harmful side effects if presents. Because of the precision and control associated with HIFU, other side effects common to other prostate cancer treatments, including incontinence and erectile dysfunction, are greatly reduced. The whole HIFU procedure often takes only three hours and a few hours after the procedure is over, men are able to go home. Minimal anesthesia is utilized during the HIFU process to lower the level of discomfort men may feel with the rectal probe. HIFU does not use radiation and is considered non-ionizing. This simple means that the HIFU treatment may be utilized on more than one occasion if necessary without causing damage to surrounding healthy tissue. Because of this fact, many cancer physicians utilize HIFU if they find little success with other treatment options for prostate cancer.

For prostate cancer treatment, many physicians look toward the Sonablate 500, a very well known HIFU system utilized in many hospitals and clinics. Controlled via a computer, the Sonablate 500 delivers HIFU energy toward the prostate using a rectal probe. This action is set to eliminate all tissue in the area that has been affected by cancer. The Sonablate 500 utilizes integrated biplanar ultrasound imaging, offering real-time monitoring and planning of the treatment, as well as before and after images of the prostate and the infected area.

The HIFU system can be compared to the concept of focusing the rays of the sun through any magnifying lens. Precise focusing of the ultrasound energy is provided by HIFU. This focusing of the ultrasound energy increases the affected tissue's temperature in the targeted area. This is done very rapidly while all unaffected tissue in the area remains safe and does not increase in temperature. The physician, when the procedure is over, is able to monitor the precise lesion located in the target area. However, before this can occur, first the physician creates a plan to locate all the infected tissue areas. Numerous physicians prescribe to HIFU because it offers high imaging resolution. This enables physicians to efficiently identify the vital structures in the area, including the recta wall, neurovascular bundles, and seminal vesicles. This guarantees that only cancer-affected areas are targeted and no unnecessary damage occurs.

Before the HIFU therapy can occur, patients must have two enemas prior to the treatment, often two hours. Light anesthesia is administered to ensure that the patient remains completely still throughout the procedure as a very small rectal probe is used. This probe emits a number of ultrasound waves that will bounce off tissue. Physicians are provided with real-time images of the entire area, providing them with detailed and immediate feedback. At the end of the procedure, only two hours of recovery time are needed to let the anesthesia wear off. In only a few days time, patients may return to their life.

Dr. Anshu Guleria and his staff at the Virginia Prostate Cancer Center have considerable experience in minimally invasive treatments for prostate cancer. They will take the time to sit down with you to see if HIFU is the right prostate cancer treatment for you. When HIFU became available in North America, Dr. Guleria studied the reports of its use in Europe and decided that HIFU is going to be the next evolution in localized prostate cancer therapy. Dr. Guleria is the most experienced doctor practicing HIFU for Prostate Cancer in Virginia and he looks forward to helping you decide what is the best prostate cancer treatment option for you. For more information, please go to http://www.virginiaprostatecancer.com/

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Prostate cancer is a disease that you should be aware of. It is the most common cancer in Canadian men with a 1 in 7 chance of developing the disease, and the statistics are similar for American men. Your risk of getting the disease increases with age, and if there is a family history of blood relatives with the disease. While there is nothing you can do about the risk factors, you can reduce your cancer risk by making healthy choices each day. Also, know what to look for and be on the lookout for the early signs. The cure rate is very high when prostate cancer is treated in its early stages.

Being On the Lookout

If you're a man over 50 or you develop any of these symptoms, see your doctor and get tested.

Frequent urinationAn intense need to urinateDifficulty in starting urine flowDifficulty in stopping urine flowInability to urinateWeak urine flowStoppages in urine flowThe sensation that your bladder is not completely empty after urinationPain or a burning sensation while urinatingBlood in urine or semenPain during orgasm

Diet Is Important

Many health problems can be avoided with a healthy diet. Healthy eating may reduce your risk of developing prostate cancer.

Avoid foods that are high in fat. In addition to helping you maintain a healthy body weight, it could help to reduce your chances of developing cancer of the prostate as well as other cancers and heart disease.

Choose lower fat content foods more oftenAvoid margarine, butter and creamChoose leaner cuts of meat or low fat alternatives to meat

Vegetables and Fruit

Choose a variety of vegetables and fruits to eat every day. Cruciferous vegetables including broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and cabbage have been linked to reduced rates of prostate cancer. In addition, vegetables rich in lycopene such as tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruit, papaya and apricots are also helpful in reducing the risk.

While it is not yet clear that diet and keeping your weight down can help reduce the risk of prostate cancer, it's never a bad idea to stay active and maintain a healthy body weight. It is proven that an unhealthy diet, extra weight and lack of exercise can increase your risk of prostate and other cancers.

Being Diagnosed With Prostate Cancer

Learning that you have a disease like prostate cancer can be devastating news. It is not however an automatic death sentence. In fact, catching the disease in the early stages increases your treatment options and chance of cure - which is why early and regular screening is so important. There are a number of treatment options available.

Brachytherapy is a method where small radioactive seeds are implanted directly into the prostate gland with a series of needles. While effective, recurrence of the disease after treatment is not uncommon.

Another option is Cryotherapy. Your prostate is frozen and thawed, destroying the cancerous tissue. While effective, there can be side effects such as impotence, urinary incontinence and pain in the pelvic region.

High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU)

HIFU therapy is a minimally invasive procedure where ultrasound waves are used to create intense heat in cancerous cells thereby destroying them. Because this therapy can be repeated and is effective in local tumour control, prostate cancer survival is indeed a real possibility. HIFU also results in less serious side effects, like incontinence and impotency, than surgery and radiation. The Maple Leaf Clinic in Toronto was the first to offer the HIFU prostate cancer treatment in North America. The treatment is currently not available in the U.S.

Live a healthy lifestyle to reduce your chances of getting prostate cancer, but speak to your oncologist about all your options if you do get diagnosed with the disease.

Stephanie Browning (Eco Chick) is an environmentally conscious mom and nutritionist who looks for effective alternatives to traditional medicines.

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The prostate gland is an organ exclusive to the male reproductive system located just below the bladder and surrounding the urethra. Its main function is to produce a protective fluid that aids sperm cells in reaching the egg cell. It also extends the lifespan of sperm cells and helps in keeping semen fluid. The muscles in the prostate gland are also responsible for male ejaculation.

There are four known main prostate disorders:

-Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) or enlargement of the prostate. A healthy prostate is roughly the size of a walnut and an enlarged prostate gland interferes with normal urination as it constricts the urethra;

-Prostatitis or inflammation and infection of the prostate;

-Prostatodynia or chronic prostate disease, and;

-Prostate cancer.

They all have roughly the same symptoms and of the four, only prostate cancer is potentially life threatening. All men are at risk of developing this type of cancer. It is the most common cancer for men and statistics show that it affects one in six males, though only one in 36 males will die of it. It is a slow-growing cancer that often develops without exhibiting any symptoms. The danger lies in the cancer metastasizing-- when the cancer spreads beyond the prostate and travels to other parts of the body such the bones or lymph nodes. Then, a cure becomes impossible.

There are no known causes for prostate cancer. Instead, there are factors that influence and put some at a greater risk of developing the cancer. A few of these risks are:

Age: Age is the greatest risk factor for developing this cancer. As you grow older, your risk increases. Developing the cancer before the age of 40 is rare but the chance increases after the age of 50. In fact, roughly two-thirds of prostate cancer are diagnosed in men aged 65 or older.

Race/ethnicity: African-American men are at a higher risk (60% more likely) of developing prostate cancer compared to white American men, while Asian men who live in Asia have the lowest risk. Reasons behind these are not clear and it is recommended that African American start testing for prostate cancer at the age of 40.

Family history/genetics: Men who come from a family with a history of prostate cancer are at a greater risk of developing it, suggesting that it could be inherited or genetic. Men who have a father or a brother with the disease are twice more likely to have it, too and this risk increases further if the cancer was diagnosed before the family member reached the age of 55.

Geography: For reasons not clear, the risk of developing prostate cancer is higher for men living in North America and lower for those living in Asia.

Diet: Though further research is needed, studies have shown that men who have a diet rich in high-fat dairy and red meat are at a higher risk of prostate cancer.

If you have any questions about your prostate's health, please feel free to send us your questions via our site BensProstate.com. You can expect a customized reply within 48 hours.

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Prostate cancer is the leading cancer among men in North America. 80% of men over 80 will get prostate cancer. The prostate is a chestnut size gland which produces proteins and fluids to carry sperm upon ejaculation. Usually, there are no obvious signs or symptoms of prostate cancer, at least not when it is in the early stages. The cure rate is very high when it is in the beginning stages, so early detection is crucial. Treatment in the T-1 and T-2 stages has a 90% or better cure rate, so it is important to know how to take control of your prostate health and what to look for.

All men over theage of 50 should get annual screening, unless there is a history of prostate cancer in the family, at which point they should start screening at 40. The only reliable way to way to determine if prostate cancer exists is by visiting your doctor for a screening. Screening can be a relatively simple procedure which usually begins with a digital rectal examination. Your doctor will check your prostate by inserting a gloved finger into the rectum. The prostate in located below the bladder, in front of the rectum, so your doctor will be able to feel the prostate via the rectum to check for tumors. The other form of screening is a PSA or prostate-specific antigen test. The PSA test gives a reading of protein made by the prostate. A low PSA level of less than 4 ng/mL, would usually mean no further testing is required. If the PSA Levels are high, or rise over time, then your urologist will want to evaluate further.

If the tests lead your physician to suspect that prostate cancer may be indicated, a biopsy will likely be performed. This is the only sure way to diagnose prostate cancer. A local anesthetic is generally given, then an ultrasound probe is inserted to check for abnormalities. A biopsy needle is inserted to take 6 to 12 tissue samples, which are then viewed under a microscope. The tissue samples are compared to normal prostate samples, then given a Gleason score of 1 to 5, with 1 being close to normal and 5 being highly abnormal. Your doctor will determine the stage of the cancer and how far the cancer has spread. High PSA scores indicate a more aggressive cancer, with tumors more likely to grow and spread to other organs. The risk category and the need for treatment will be determined by the size and extent of the tumors, combined with the PSA levels and Gleason score.

Treatment options will vary depending on the risk category. Your age, health, race and family history will also be taken into consideration when determining the best course of action, so it is wise to research your options and discuss them with your urologist. For organ confined prostate cancer, one of the best prostate cancer treatment options is HIFU, which minimizes the possibility of risks and complications, including impotency and incontinence. HIFU is High Intensity Focused Ultrasound, where ultrasound waves are used to destroy the cancer tumors. A specially trained physician uses a computer guided Ablatherm HIFU probe which targets the tumors with pinpoint accuracy, without damaging surrounding organs or tissues. Get an annual prostate exam for early detection and learn more about the HIFU prostate cancer treatment if you are diagnosed with the disease. A healthy lifestyle and regular check ups are essential for men over the age of 50, as prostate cancer is the leading cancer for men in North America.

Nancy Stonecutter is a nurse who writes about family and child care. Visit her blog at http://www.nancythenurse.wordpress.com/ for more information.

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