Prostate Cancer (Prastatic Adenocarcinoma)
With about 244,000 new cases in the United States each year, prostate cancer is the most common type of malignancy in men and, with 44,000 deaths a year, second only to lung cancer in male cancer mortality. According to the American Cancer Society, about 1 in 11 men develops prostate cancer, usually after age 65, and the risk becomes greater with age. International studies link a high-fat diet to increased risk, but what triggers the cancer is unknown. It appears that certain population groups are more vulnerable than others. For example, the incidence of prostate cancer among African-American men is 32 percent higher than in Caucasions.
Early signs of prostate cancer include difficulty in starting urination, inability to empty the bladder fully, and frequent urination, especially at night. There may also be pain or burning during urination, blood in urine, and dull, chronic pain in the lower back, pelvis, or upper thighs.
Diagnostic Studies and Procedures
The American Cancer Society recommends that all men over the age of 40 undergo annual screening for prostate cancer, starting with a digital rectal examination. For this test, a doctor inserts a gloved finger into the rectum and then feels the gland for unusual hardness or lumps. The same group also advocates that a blood test to measure prostate specific antigen (PSA, a substance secreted by prostate cells) should be done annually in addition to the digital exam, beginning at the age of 50. An elevated PSA level indicates an enlarged prostate, which is a sign of possible cancer.
If either test produces suspicious results, a transrectal ultrasound examination, CT scan, or MRl may be ordered to detect any tumors. But none of these tests actually confirms prostate cancer; this requires a biopsy of tissue from suspicious areas of the gland. If cancer is detected, bone scans and other tests are necessary to determine whether or not it has spread.
Medical Treatments
Treatment varies, depending upon the type and stage of the cancer and the patient's age. Surgery to remove the prostate gland -- a prostatectomy -- can cure localized prostate cancer in more than 90 percent of cases. New surgical techniques usually make it possible to preserve the man's sexual function and urinary continence as well.
In some cases, surgery may be followed by radiation. Radiation therapy by itself is successful in men with certain early stages of prostate cancer.
Hormone treatment, using female hormones such as estrogen to suppress male hormones that the cancer cells need for growth, and chemotherapy with anticancer drugs, may control prostate cancer for long periods. Orchiectomy, removal of the testicles, may be performed to slow cancer growth spurred by testosterone.
Alternative Therapies
The following alternative therapies may be helpful adjuncts to medical treatment for controlling pain, maintaining a healthful nutritional status, and alleviating anxiety.
Acupuncture and Acupressure. These techniques are especially useful for controlling pain.
Hydrotherapy. To increase circulation in the prostate region and also alleviate pain, sitting in a hot tub is sometimes recommended. Yet another technique involves sitting in hot water while immersing the feet in cold water for three minutes, then reversing the process for three more minutes.
Imagery or Visualization. Practitioners teach patients to picture their bodies fighting and overcoming the disease.
Nutrition Therapy. Because studies have linked a high-fat diet to an increased risk of prostate cancer, a low-fat, mostly vegetarian diet may help prevent it. Fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, dried beans, peas, brown rice, and fresh juices should be emphasized. Some nutritionists advocate abstaining from coffee, tea, and alcohol, although a specific association of these beverages with prostate cancer has not been established. Eating an ounce of pumpkin seeds daily or taking pumpkin seed oil capsules is said to be helpful for all types of prostate problems. Pumpkin seeds are high in zinc, and deficiency of this mineral has been linked to prostate inflammation.
Self-Treatment
There is very little you can do to treat prostate cancer on your own. However, you can reduce your risk of developing it by adopting the low-fat diet described above and maintaining your ideal body weight.
If you are diagnosed with prostate cancer and are concerned about the effects of treatment on sexual function, discuss your options with your doctor. New methods of removing the prostate reduce the likelihood of impotence, but you may have to seek out a surgeon trained in the procedure.
Other Causes of Prostate Symptoms
Prostate enlargement (benign prostatic hypertrophy) and prostatitis, an infection of the prostate, produce symptoms similar to those of prostate cancer.