Prostate Cancer

Prostate Cancer

Medical Editors: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR and Dennis Lee, MD

• What is the prostate gland?
• What is prostate cancer?
• Why is prostate cancer important?
• What causes prostate cancer?
• What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?
• What are the screening tests for prostate cancer?
• What are false-positive elevations in the PSA test?
• What refinements have been made in the PSA test?
• How is prostate cancer diagnosed?
• How is the staging of prostate cancer done?
• What are the treatment options for prostate cancer?
• What about surgical treatment for prostate cancer?
• What about radiation therapy for prostate cancer?
• What about hormonal treatment for prostate cancer?
• What is cryotherapy for prostate cancer?
• What is chemotherapy for prostate cancer?
• What about herbal or other alternative medicine treatments for prostate cancer?
• What is watchful waiting?
• Can prostate cancer be prevented?
• What will be the future treatments for prostate cancer?
• Prostate Cancer At A Glance
• Related prostate cancer articles:
  Prostate cancer - on WebMD

Prostate cancer - on eMedicineHealth

What is the prostate gland?

The prostate gland is an organ that is located at the base or outlet (neck) of the urinary bladder. (See the diagram.) The gland surrounds the first part of the urethra. The urethra is the passage through which urine drains from the bladder to exit from the penis. One function of the prostate gland is to help control urination by pressing directly against the part of the urethra that it surrounds. Another function of the prostate gland is to produce some of the substances that are found in normal semen, such as minerals and sugar. Semen is the fluid that transports the sperm. A man can manage quite well, however, without his prostate gland. (See the section on surgical treatment for prostate cancer.)

In a young man, the normal prostate gland is the size of a walnut. During normal aging, however, the gland usually grows larger. This enlargement with aging is called benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), but this condition is not associated with prostate cancer. Both BPH and prostate cancer, however, can cause similar problems in older men. For example, an enlarged prostate gland can squeeze or impinge on the outlet of the bladder or the urethra, leading to difficulty with urination. The resulting symptoms commonly include slowing of the urinary stream and urinating more frequently, particularly at night.

What is prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer is a malignant (cancerous) tumor (growth) that consists of cells from the prostate gland. The tumor usually grows slowly and remains confined to the gland for many years. During this time, the tumor produces little or no symptoms or outward signs (abnormalities on physical examination). As the cancer advances, however, it can spread beyond the prostate into the surrounding tissues (local spread). Moreover, the cancer also can metastasize (spread even farther) throughout other areas of the body, such as the bones, lungs, and liver. Symptoms and signs, therefore, are more often associated with advanced prostate cancer.

Why is prostate cancer important?

Prostate cancer is the most common malignancy in American men and the second leading cause of deaths from cancer, after lung cancer. Most experts in this field, therefore, recommend that beginning at age 40, all men should undergo yearly screening for prostate cancer.

Source: MedicineNet.com
http://www.medicinenet.com/prostate_cancer/article.htm