Prostate Cancer

A Brief Introduction To Prostate Nodules

A prostate nodule is any growth on the prostate which can be felt upon a digital rectal examination. Characterized as hard, soft, smooth or gritty, prostate nodules or the thickening in some portions of the prostate often develop as men grow older.
The evaluation for a prostate nodule may be included in the evaluation for prostitis or a possible infection. As a rule, all prostate nodules found require further evaluation to rule out the possibility of cancer, which may come without any other symptom.
Benign Prostate Nodules
A nodule does not automatically mean that cancer is present. Hard, rocky nodules may indicate calcification or a case of benign prostatic hyperplasia, where the epithelial and prostatic stromal cells multiply and grow large enough to form large nodules around the periurethral region of the prostate. Surgical removal is often necessary if the nodule has grown large enough to block the urethral canal and cause problems with urination. Sometimes, after a PSA test has shown borderline or elevated levels and there is presence of an infection, the doctor may initially put the patient in antibiotics for 2 to 4 weeks, after which the tests are repeated. If all tests are normal within this time, cancer can be ruled out, although a repeat exam is needed in 3 to 6 months.
Cancerous Prostate Nodules
About 50% of prostate nodules are malignant. Although a digital rectal examination cannot determine whether a nodule is cancerous or not, a biopsy can. A biopsy often follows when the doctor finds abnormal results from a Prostate Specific Antigen test. Once the biopsy has revealed cancer, important variables which are then taken into consideration will include grading and staging. Grading of the cancerous prostate nodule makes use of the Gleason score, which determines the degree of abnormality of the prostate cells from 2 (least aggressive) to 10 (most aggressive).
Staging, on the other hand is done on the basis of the DRE. A cancerous nodule is staged as follows:
T1c (PSA detected)
T2a (small prostate nodule)
T2b (larger prostate nodule)
T3 (very large prostate nodule with probable spread outside of the prostate)
T4 (prostate cancer spreading into adjacent organ such as the bladder)
Prevention And Treatment Of Prostate Nodules
There is no known cause why the prostate tends to enlarge as men get older, and why some men found to have prostate nodules develop prostate cancer and some don’t. Experts think genes and diet may play a role. Good nutrition may contribute to overall prostate health. Men who eat fruits and vegetables, foods that naturally contain antioxidants like lycopene and minerals like selenium lowered their risk for the disease significantly.
For men in their forties or older, an annual DRE may be necessary, especially for high-risk individuals. In some cases, whether the nodule is benign or malignant, surgical excision or complete removal of the nodule may become necessary.

4 of the Latest Treatment on Prostate Cancer

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Prostate cancer causes a lot of fear in men throughout the world. However, unlike other forms of the disease, prostate cancer is easily treatable when diagnosed early. Below are 4 common prostate cancer treatments that can improve your quality of life or completely cure you of the disease altogether.

Cryotherapy

When cryotherapy was first introduced it took some time for it to become as popular as it is today. People's views have changed about this treatment and it is now considered a very efficient method of treating prostate cancer. Cryotherapy is administered by treating the affected area with liquid argon. Liquid argon is extremely cold and destroys cancerous cells only, leaving the surrounding living tissue unharmed. This treatment option has very few side effects, but to some they may seem somewhat troubling -- such as sexual dysfunction.

Radiation Treatment

Many years ago, radiation treatment was the most popular prostate cancer treatment. But as technology and knowledge have advanced, this treatment is becoming less common. Radiation treatment comes with a slew of side effects and a relatively low success rate. Another downside to this treatment is the fact that a patient only has one chance at radiation treatment. Otherwise, radiation dosages become too high and can make a patient's health even worse.

Androgen Deprivation Therapy

This treatment option used to be done with the use of a surgical procedure called orchidectomy. However, now it can be administered through the use of a hormone drug. The drug controls the production and release of testosterone, or prevents testosterone in the body from metabolizing into dihydrotestosterone. These hormones can have an adverse effect on prostate cancer, so controlling their production is very important. Because this treatment is so non-invasive, it is very popular among prostate cancer patients.

Radical Prostatectomy

Radical prostatectomy is the most successful treatment option. However, this treatment surgically removes the entire prostate from the patient's body. It is therefore usually considered as a last resort since it very likely results in total impotence and urine incontinence. If the cancer has not yet spread to other parts of the body, this procedure is almost guaranteed to work, but the extreme side effects of it are also guaranteed.

Are you looking for information about latest treatment on prostate cancer? For more important information on prostate cancer, the prostate gland, and prostate cancer prevention and treatments, please visit http://www.onlineprostatehealth.com for more information

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Landrum

How Can Prostate Cancer Be Treated With Brachytherapy?

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Radiation therapy for prostate cancer is one of the more common alternatives to a radical prostate removal. It involves sending a beam of radiation directly into the prostate gland to kill cancerous cells and hopefully not affect the surrounding normal tissue. However there is a less drastic alternative for localized cancer confined only to the prostate gland. Known as prostate cancer brachytherapy, this treatment consists of injecting small, rice-sized grains of radioactive material, usually iodine or palladium, directly into the prostate gland. This article will examine the brachytherapy procedure, its details, and possible side effects.

The seeds that are used in brachytherapy are about the size of a grain of rice and consist of either iodine or palladium. Both of these are radioactive materials which slowly decrease in radioactivity over 3 to 6 months. These are positioned inside the prostate gland to irradiate the cancerous cells. However, to know exactly where to place them, some preparation work must be done first.

The patient will first be given an enema, and then under general anesthetic be given an ultrasound. The ultrasound is used to take a "snapshot" of the prostate gland so positioning can be planned before the treatment is actually performed. Once the planning is completed, the injection can be done safely.

Injection is via a long, fine needle. The seeds are inserted through the piece of skin between the testicles and the anus, known as the perineum. Once placed inside the prostate gland, the radioactivity goes to work. It will remain active for several weeks, then slowly die down.

After the treatment, there are a few side effects that may develop. The most common is pain the perineum directly attributable to the needle insertion. Some men feel a dull ache in this area for several days. This can be easily managed through simply non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen, and the knowledge that it will heal quickly. After a few weeks, side effects from the radiation itself may present themselves. These are usually urinary problems, such as a weak stream and a burning sensation upon urination. These will generally subside over time. There can also be as much as a 50% chance of impotence, which is high, but not as high as with radical prostate removal surgery.

Prostate brachytherapy can be seen as a very viable alternative to the more drastic prostate cancer treatments that can take a long time to heal from. Surgery can mean weeks of recuperation, and traditional beam radiation therapy can mean severe side effects and possible damage to surrounding tissues. Cancer that is contained within the prostate gland does not always need to be treated with such life-altering consequences, and brachytherapy is a possible answer to that need.

James Culp is a prostate cancer survivor and runs a free newsletter tracking the latest developments in disease of the prostate as well as advances in prostate cancer treatment. His newsletter can be subscribed to at http://www.prostaide.org

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Culp

Prostate Cancer Symptoms And Prevention

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Prostate cancer symptoms are similar to those of chronic prostatitis. After skin cancer, prostate cancer is the second most common diagnosed cancer for men in the U.S.

The American Cancer Society estimates that over 230,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year and an estimated 30,000 will die from it.

Prostatitis and Prostate Cancer Symptoms

Even though, prostate cancer is almost always treatable and not usually fatal, next to lung cancer, it is still the second leading cause of cancer death for American men.

The prostate is a small walnut sized gland, in the reproductive system of men, that makes and stores semen. It surrounds the urethra - the tube that carries urine from the bladder - and is located between the bladder and the rectum.

If it becomes swollen and too large as a result of inflammation, which often happens as men grow older, the flow of urine may be slowed down or even stopped.

The most common prostatitis and prostate cancer symptom is difficulty urinating.

Although many risk factors, such as age, a family history of prostate cancer and race (It's most common in African American men) are unavoidable, there are many things a man can do to help reduce his chances. These include:

• Exercise,

• Quitting smoking

• Eating a good diet

• Weight management,

• And staying sexually active.

Sex and the Prostate

Some research shows that an active sex life may help reduce prostate cancer risk.

For instance, in one recent study of nearly 30,000 men, surveyed for over an eight-year period, men between the ages of 20 and 50 who had the most ejaculations also ended up with the lowest incidence of prostate cancer.

The theory is that an ejaculation helps to flush out unwanted potential cancer cells.

When diagnosed with prostate cancer, a man should always get a second opinion. And, whenever possible, consider natural therapies before choosing surgery or radiation.

Lifelong impotence and incontinence are both fairly common side effects of these two medical treatments. And, since only one out of seven men diagnosed with prostate cancer dies from it, it makes good sense to consider all the alternatives.

Diet for a Healthy Prostate

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), whether or not a person gets cancer is closely related to their diet.

Both the ACS and the NCI recommend Americans eat a lot LESS red meat - particularly high fat and processed red meats - and a lot LESS high fat dairy. They also recommend eating a lot MORE omega 3 fish, such as toxin free wild salmon.

Studies have also proven that men and women who eat the MOST antioxidant rich, colorful fruits and vegetables have the LEAST incidence of all kinds of cancer, including prostate cancer and breast cancer, and the HIGHEST rate of survival.

For example, a man from Hong Kong eating a diet of fish, rice and vegetables has a 50% less risk of prostate cancer than a man from northern Europe eating a diet high in red meat and full fat dairy. And if either man does get prostate cancer, the one from Honk Kong, eating fish, rice and vegetables, is eight times more likely to survive.

This is why the ACS and NCI now recommend that Americans have cold water fish, at least 3 to 5 times a week, and nine servings of fresh fruits and vegetables daily.

Omega 3 Fish Oil Supplements

Taking high quality fish oil capsules is a great safe, low calorie, low cost way to get omega 3 fatty acids and has been shown to be just as effective as eating fish. To learn more about the best omega 3 fish oil supplements, go to the fish oil web site

Moss Greene is a highly respected and widely published journalist focusing on optimum health for body, mind and spirit. She's also the editor for Bella Online Nutrition

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Moss_Greene

Enlarged Prostate Diagnosis

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A normal prostate is slightly larger than a peanut and weighs around 20 to 30 grams. A swollen prostate can weigh anywhere from 50 to 100 grams. It should also be stated that prostatic hyperplasia is not a sign of prostate cancer. When you go in to the doctor to determine if you have an enlarged prostate, before the doctor can diagnose you they will test you for numerous things to make sure that it is prostatic hyperplasia instead of cancer.

There are several symptoms that will help you determine if you should visit the doctor for a diagnosis. The first sign of an enlarged prostate is urine leakage as well as feeling overall uncomfortable. As the problem persists, you will have a frequent urge to urinate, which is shortly followed by not being able to urinate at all.

The most common way for the doctor to check for an enlarged prostate before conducting tests is through a rectal exam. While this can be very uncomfortable, it is the only way for the doctor to see if your prostate is swollen or enlarged. However, many times the doctor is not able to diagnose the condition with a simple rectal exam. Instead, an x-ray picture of the urinary tract and prostate, or ultrasound pictures is the best way for the specialist to diagnose you properly.

After the doctor has determined your condition, you will have several treatment options. In most cases the doctor will try medicines first. Finasteride is an approved drug that forces the prostate gland to shrink naturally. The doctor will also prescribe an Alpha-blocker that helps relieve the pressure of the enlarged prostate.

In the event that the medicines were not effective, there are two types of surgery procedures that can be done. The first surgery procedure is the transurethral resection of the prostate. This is when the specialist will scrape an amount of tissue from the core of the prostate to help relieve pressure. The second option that many men are requesting is the transurethral incision of the prostate. Instead of scraping away at the core, the specialist will make several cuts in the gland to help relieve pressure.

In some cases, the patient’s condition is already so severe that the medical treatment would not be effective first. Instead, the person has to undergo immediate surgery in order to prevent the bladder from experiencing more damage. If you are experiencing some or just one of the symptoms associated with an enlarged prostate, then you should not wait to see if it will improve.
By Allen Gelb

A Prostate Diet For A Healthy Prostate

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It is a fact that eating a healthy, well-balanced diet is really good for us. A healthy diet keeps unwanted pounds at bay, and has been linked to lower risks for certain cancers in some studies. Doctors often advice men to make serious changes in the way they eat, especially those who are suspected to be at risk for developing prostate cancer or those who are discovered to have suspicious prostate nodules or other symptoms. The risk for prostate cancer may be lowered in healthy men if healthier dietary changes are made at an earlier time and even with a positive cancer diagnosis, a good prostate diet will still be a necessary part of the treatment.
The Perfect Prostate Diet: Is There One?
Although there is no official nutritional guideline made specifically for prostate cancer treatment, doctors advice a well-balanced prostate diet that is low on saturated oils and fats, processed meats, sugars, and high on fresh fruits and vegetables. One study conducted by Swedish scientists and published in the Cancer Causes and Control Journal revealed that the most effective diet for combating this type of cancer is a prostate diet composed of phytoestrogens, substances from plants which have a weak estrogenic effect. Phytoestrogens are taken up by the same parts of the body which naturally produce estrogen. Estrogens, incidentally, are used in conventional treatments of prostate cancer, specifically androgen ablation therapy to reduce the levels of male hormones in the body. Although estrogen can cause negative cardiovascular effects when taken by men in large doses, the small dose found in plants may be beneficial in the prevention of prostate cancer.
The consumption of meats and dairy products should be curved when one is following a good prostate diet. It has been shown that daily consumption of meat triples the risk for prostate enlarging and daily consumption of dairy products, even milk, doubles that risk.
The ideal prostate diet is one which is also rich in antioxidants, substances which are readily found in fresh fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants play a major role in the body’s immune system and are known to fight off cancer. In a 1995 study conducted by Harvard, it was found out that men who ate at least 10 servings of tomato-based foods per week reduced their risk for prostate cancer by 45%. The protective agent in this case is believed to be lycopene, a natural antioxidant found abundantly in tomatoes.
In effect a good prostate diet should be one that contains fresh and plant-based foods, since these contain antioxidants and natural vitamins and minerals which all play a protective role in keeping the risk for the disease as low as possible.
Even despite the positive diagnosis of prostate cancer, a prostate diet can still improve the quality of life of the patient. A healthy prostate diet is a necessary complement to any form of cancer therapy and can possibly help slow down the progression of the disease.

Why Have A Prostate Examination

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It’s a fact that no man in his right mind would willingly want to expose himself to a total stranger and have his rectum manually probed by a gloved hand, even if that gloved hand happens to belong to a doctor. However, if you are a guy who is nearing your fifties or is fifty years old or older, you might need to alter your thinking about prostate examinations.
The Importance Of A Prostate Examination
An annual prostate examination may be necessary for older men because the prostate tends to enlarge as a person gets older. It is often recommended for men who are fifty years old or older, especially men who are at a high risk for any form of cancer, and is done through the manual palpation the prostate, that walnut-sized gland which is palpable through the anterior portion of your rectum. For those with a family-history of cancer, especially prostate cancer, prostate examinations should be done annually starting at the age of 45. Sudden changes in urination, pain in the bladder or inability to urinate may also necessitate the need for a prostate examination.
What To Expect
It is important to know what to expect before going in for a prostate examination. You will usually be oriented by the doctor or the nurse on what will happen during the exam and what you need to do.
After changing into a hospital gown, you will be asked to face the examination couch and bend forward so that your arms and elbows are resting on the couch. The doctor, using lubricated gloves, will then tell you to breathe through your mouth and relax as he slowly inserts his finger inside your rectum. You will likely feel a slight pressure but no discomfort. The doctor will then move his fingers in a circular motion inside your rectum to feel the grooves and lobes of the prostate and feel for any abnormalities. A normal prostate will feel firm and rubbery, and usually ranges from 2 to 4 cm in size. A normal prostate is also triangular in shape.
After the exam the doctor will remove his fingers and you will be given a tissue to wipe the lubricant off your buttocks.
After the Prostate Examination
Depending on the results of the prostate examination, your doctor may schedule you for more tests, like a transrectal ultrasound or a biopsy. You doctor may also suggest a few lifestyle changes to reduce the risk for the development of the disease. For some, this means going on a prostate diet, which usually consists of more fruits, vegetables and grains, a reduced intake of saturated fats, oils, sweets, and salts, as well as moderate intake of calories. Maintaining a healthy weight may also be recommended by your doctor, as there has been a consistent link between obesity and the tendency to develop certain forms of cancer.
Annual prostate examinations can lead to early detection of cancerous tumors. This is significant because the earlier the discovery, the greater the chance that medical interventions to remove or destroy the tumors will succeed and thus, the greater the chance for a positive prognosis.

Prostate Cancer - Your Treatment Options

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Prostate Cancer, Your Treatment Options provides information about what prostate cancer is; how it is diagnosed and treated; and what patients can expect. The video also deals with how men and their families can get information and comfort from a prostate support group.

Made with the support of: AstraZeneca, BC Cancer Agency, and Vancouver Island Prostate Cancer Research Foundation

"Prostate Cancer Surgery Expectations" featuring Dr. Schlegel (ProstateCancerMD)

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"The outcomes from surgical treatment of prostate cancer are dependent on the patient's age, on the extent of the tumor, and to some degree the experience and results that an individual surgeon gets." Dr. Schlegel, of the Dept. of Urology at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, explains common expectations for patients entering into prostate cancer surgery and what factors those expectations are founded upon.

Erectile Dysfunction, Penile Prosthesis and Prostate Cancer

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Erectile Dysfunction and Penile implants Treatment
Dr Phillip M Katelaris Urological Surgeon Prostate Cancer Diabetes mens health and wellness
Marriage and sex and health issues
Australian leading surgeon Dr Phillip M Katelaris
produced by Westymedia David Westbrook
Australian Mens Health
www.westymedia.com

How To Spot Aggressive Prostate Cancer

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Prostate cancer is the cancer which develops in the prostate gland, the gland which is responsible for secreting one of the fluids that constitutes semen in males. In prostate cancer the cells grow and multiply uncontrolled by the body’s normal functions, so that eventually the mutated cells move out or metastasize into adjacent organs like the bones or the liver. This spread often causes pain, difficulty urinating and other symptoms.
Prostate cancer can progress either rapidly or slowly. Prostate cancer which spreads faster than normal characterized by highly abnormal cells is referred to as aggressive prostate cancer.
What Is Aggressive Prostate Cancer
Aggressive prostate cancer is the condition where the cancer spreads too rapidly compared to the typical type of prostate cancer and mutated cells are very different from normal, healthy cells in appearance. Aggressive prostate cancer also does not go into remission despite a lowered level of androgens as a result of androgen-deprivation therapy, which is one of the first-line treatments against the disease.
Recently, a protein was identified to be a good predictor of the nature of the prostate cancer involved, that is, if it will mutate into the aggressive form or not. p27 is the protein that normally functions to suppress tumor growth. It has been found that patients with aggressive prostate cancer have very low levels of this protein. Aggressive prostate cancer has a worse prognosis than the typical type of prostate cancer, and patients with this disease also face a higher risk of recurrence.
How To Identify Aggressive Prostate Cancer
A yearly prostate examination is ideal for early detection of possible tumors in the prostate, especially since prostate cancer usually does not come with visible signs and symptoms. A routine physical inspection can be done through a digital rectal examination or a transrectal ultrasound, while a tumor biopsy is done to confirm the diagnosis of a malignant tumor.
There are many ways to determine how aggressive the cancer is. Tumor markers are often used to determine if the cancer is low-risk, intermediate risk, or high risk, with aggressive prostate cancer falling under the last category. These markers include prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, the PSA velocity, and the Gleason score. PSA is a substance which is normally produced by the prostate gland in little amounts. Higher-than-normal levels of PSA in the blood often signal an infection, an enlargement, or a disease in the prostate. The PSA velocity can show if the cancer is the aggressive or not. Studies have shown that when PSA levels rise sharply a few months before surgery, it is often an indication that the cancer is aggressive. The Gleason score, on the other hand, can also show how aggressive the cancer is by grading of the appearance of the mutated cells. The more abnormal the cells appear, the more aggressive they are.
As with most diseases, early detection may just make the difference between a good and bad prognosis. Although it cannot lower the risk for aggressive prostate cancer, annual digital prostate exams, transrectal ultrasound and other physical exam tests can identify potential cancerous tumors at an earlier time when treatment can be most effective.