Prostate Cancer,Types,Causes,Symptoms, ,Treatment

What is prostate cancer?

What are the causes of prostate cancer?

What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?

What is the treatment of prostate cancer?

What is prostate cancer:-

It is the cancer of the prostate gland found mainly among men of above 60 years of age. The prostate gland is located under the bladder and surrounding the urethra. A hormone called testosterone regulates the prostate. The prostate produces the semen that contains sperms.

The abnormal and malignant growth of cells better known as a tumour in the prostate is called prostate cancer. The cancerous cells can travel to other parts of the body causing cancer there. 

Types of prostate cancer:-

Cancer that grows in the tissues of the prostate gland is called adenocarcinoma. The prostate cancers are also classified on the basis of how fast it grows. There are two types of it.

1.  Fast growing or aggressive.

2.  Slow-growing or non-aggressive.

In fast-growing prostate cancer, the tumour grows very fast and has the potential to spread to other parts of the body like bones.

In non-aggressive prostate cancer, the cancerous tumour either grows very slow or doesn't grow at all.

Causes of prostate cancer:-

The medical science has yet to establish the real cause of prostate cancer. It is largely believed that prostate cancer could be caused by family history or exposure to some hazardous chemicals. This could trigger cell mutation and uncontrolled growth of cells that leads to prostate cancer.

Symptoms of prostate cancer:-

In slow-growing or non-aggressive prostate cancer the patient may not have any visible symptoms. Symptoms appear only in the advance stage of this cancer. Some common symptoms are as follows-

1.  Urinary problem.

2.  Sexual problem.

3.  Numbness and pain.

Urinary problems:-

Since the prostate is located beneath the bladder that surrounds the urethra. The growing prostate tumour brings pressure on the bladder or urethra that creates a problem. The urinary problem may have the following issues-

1.  Frequent urination

2.  Slower than normal stream

3.  Bleeding while urinating

Sexual problems:-

Tumorous growth in the prostate gland can cause erectile dysfunction or impotence in the patient. Presence of blood in semen after ejaculation could also be the symptoms of prostate cancer.

Numbness or pain:-

The growing cancerous cells sometimes travel to other parts of the body. This is called metastasis. The cancerous cells in the prostate gland often spread to bones and cause pain in pelvic, back and chest.

If prostate cancer spreads to the spinal cord, the patient may have numbness in the legs and the bladder.

Stages:-

A doctor determines the stage of prostate cancer to plan the treatment. The stages are measured as follows-

1.  Size and extent of the tumour.

2.  The number of lymph nodes involved.

3.  Whether the cancerous cells have spread to other parts of the body.

Treatment of prostate cancer:-

Normally doctors take into account the age, health status, and the stage of cancer in the patient.

In the case of non-aggressive prostate cancer, the doctor keeps regular surveillance and regular check-ups to monitor cancer.

    In aggressive or fast-growing prostate cancer, the doctor may have the following options.

1.  Surgery.

2.  Radiation.

3.  Chemotherapy.

4.  Hormone therapy.

5.  Cryotherapy.

6.  Immunotherapy.

7.  Stereotactic radiosurgery.

Prostatectomy:-

Removal of all of the prostate gland or part of it through the surgery is known as prostatectomy. This procedure can better be applied when cancer has not spread outside of the prostate. In this case, the doctor may opt for removing the entire prostate gland.

Depending on the medical condition a doctor may go for a larger incision in the lower abdomen of the patient or many smaller incisions in the lower abdomen of the patient.

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