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 PROSTATE CANCER
Prostate cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the prostate. The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system located just below the bladder and in front of the rectum. It is about the size of a walnut and surrounds the urethra (the tube that empties urine from the bladder). The prostate gland produces fluid that makes up part of the semen.
According to the National Cancer Institute, prostate cancer is the second most common form of cancer affecting men in the United States. An estimated 221,000 men in the United States were diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2003. More than seventy percent of men diagnosed with prostate cancer each year are over the age of 65. African American men have a higher risk of prostate cancer than white men.
There are no noticeable symptoms of prostate cancer while it is still in the early stages. In order to find prostate cancer in its most treatable form, it must be caught before symptoms appear. In more advanced stages, symptoms may include difficult or frequent urination, blood in the urine or bone pain.
Risk Factors
- Risk of prostate cancer increases with age. Prostate cancer is rare for men under the age of 40, and most cases occur in men over the age of 65.
- Men with a father or brother with prostate cancer are 2x as likely to get the disease. Men with 3 relatives diagnosed with prostate cancer are almost guaranteed to get it.
- African American men have a 60% higher risk of getting prostate cancer than white men, and 2x the risk of dying from it. Hidivic men have a risk of getting prostate cancer similar to the general population, but rates of death due to the disease have not declined over recent years as they have for Caucasian and African American men.
- Veterans of Asian Theaters ( Vietnam and Korea ) who were exposed to Agent Orange are at increased risk.
- Obese men – those with a body mass index of over 32.5 - are 33% more likely to die from prostate cancer if diagnosed.
Prostate cancer screening consists of two examinations:
- A blood test that measures levels of Prostate Specific Antigen or PSA. Annual screening should start at age 50 for the general population, but the right age to start PSA testing depends on your level of risk.*
- A physical exam of the prostate, the Digital Rectal Exam or DRE. A DRE is a quick and painless physical exam, where the doctor feels for bumps or abnormalities on the surface of your prostate that might be tumor growth. The word “digital” refers to the use of a finger, not a computer. If a bump or abnormality is found, a biopsy is needed to determine whether prostate cancer exists.*
*Both exams should be done concurrently to increase the accuracy of prostate cancer diagnosis.
Prostate cancer screening considerations:
- Annual screening should start at 50 for the general population.
- Men with 1 risk factor should start annual screening at 45.
- Men with more than 1 risk factor should start annual screening at 40.
- Some men choose to take a single test at an earlier age, 35 or 40, to get a PSA level when prostate cancer is not present and establish a “baseline” level for future comparison.
Where to get screened for prostate cancer:
- Your primary care physician can do both the PSA test and physical examination.
- If you cannot afford a doctor visit, call your local hospital or clinic to see if they offer any free screening programs.
Prostate cancer prevention:
There are no known ways to prevent prostate cancer. Adopting a healthy lifestyle consisting of regular exercise and limiting consumption of saturated fat found in red meat and diary products can lower risk, however. Studies show a strong connection between saturated fat consumption and increased rates of prostate cancer diagnosis and mortality. Diets rich in cancer fighting nutrients such as Vitamin E, Selenium, soy, green tea, and tomatoes appear to mitigate the risks of prostrate cancer. Studies are underway to confirm these findings, and more cancer fighting nutrients are being discovered and studied all the time.
Surgical Options:
Open Prostatectomy
- This open surgery commonly results in substantial blood loss, a lengthy and uncomfortable recovery and the risk of impotence and incontinence. This is not the preferred treatment for prostate cancer considering the alternatives available, for example, laparoscopic prostatectomy or da Vinci Robotic Prostatectomy.
Laparoscopic Prostatectomy
- One of the most common treatments for prostate cancer involves the surgical removal of the prostate gland, known as Laparoscopic Prostatectomy, or Radical Prostatectomy. Traditional radical prostatectomy requires a large, 8-10 inch incision.
Da Vinci Robotic Prostatectomy: A Less Invasive Surgical Procedure
- If surgery is recommended to treat your prostate cancer, you may be a candidate for less-invasive surgical procedure called robotic prostatectomy, otherwise called a da Vinci Prostatectomy. Robotic prostatectomy incorporates a state-of-the-art surgical system that enables a precise surgical procedure with reduced risks, minimal side-effects, and quick recovery time for patients.
Da Vinci Robotic Prostectomy Benefits:
- Shorter hospital stay
- Less pain
- Less risk of infection
- Less blood loss and transfusions
- Less scarring
- Faster recovery
- Quicker return to normal activities
- As with any surgical procedure, the benefits of a da Vinci Prostatectomy cannot be guaranteed as surgery is both patient and procedure specific.
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