The Prostate and Cancer
The prostate gland which is the size of a walnut is found in the male of the species and is part of his reproductive system. It is part of the system which includes the testicles to produce semen. The prostate is situated in front of the rectum just underneath the bladder. The prostate surrounds the urethra (the tube which carries urine), therefore one of the first signs and symptoms that there is anything wrong with the prostate is a difficulty in passing urine. The prostate gland is a part of a man's body that he probably never thinks about, until unfortunately something goes wrong with it. Unfortunately even living a healthy lifestyle is no guarantee that a man will not have problems with his prostate at some time in his lifetime.
The function of the prostate
The prostate gland is a complex organ which consists of millions of very small glands which are lined with fluid secreting cells. This fluid flows into thousands of ducts through up to 14-18 exits and end up eventually in the urethra.
Unfortunately if there is a problem with the prostate, it doesn't necessarily mean you have a life threatening disease, there can be a number of problems with the prostate especially as you get older and most of them can be benign. They may certainly be irritating and inconvenient, but not life threatening. However for this article, we will be discussing prostate cancer.
What Exactly Is Cancer?
Cancer is a problem for anyone no matter what their age or sex. Unfortunately even just the word "cancer" tends to strike terror into the hearts of many people who automatically assume if they have contracted it, they have received a death sentence.
Nowadays there are many types of cancer which can be cured as long as it is caught in time. Prostate cancer comes into this category, so it is really important that any man who discovers any problems in this area doesn't bury his head in the sand, but goes to his doctor immediately to have it checked out. Hopefully it will be a problem with a benign source, however if it is prostate cancer then the sooner it is sorted, the better.
It's important that as people who can be prone to cancer that we understand exactly what it actually is.
The human body is made up of trillions of cells which divide and reproduce themselves constantly. This is a process which allows the body to heal itself when it becomes injured. The problem with cancer starts when this process somehow goes haywire. The cells reproduce themselves in an uncontrollable manner. Because these cells are multiplying at an alarming rate, eventually they form a mass which is known as a tumor. These tumors's can be either benign or malignant, but whatever they are, they very often interfere with the body's natural processes. If the tumor is cancerous, there is the risk that small particles can break off and spread to other parts of the body, this is known as metastastic spread.
Prostate cancer is a disease in which abnormal cells have developed in the prostate gland. It usually starts on the outer part of the prostate and a lump can be felt when a rectal examination is performed. Luckily prostate cancer is a slow acting cancer, with many older men only found to be suffering after they have died of other causes. There are occasions however when it can spread quickly, so it is still important that any abnormalities are followed up quickly.
Prostate cancer news on the Web
The Impact Of Urologic Diseases On The American Public
Urologic conditions like urinary tract infections, kidney stones, and prostate cancer are a major economic burden on Americans, resulting in health care costs of close to $40 billion annually, according to a newly released national report that charts the demographic and economic impact of urologic diseases in the U.S... |
Distinct Molecular Subtype Of Prostate Cancer Discovered
A collaborative expedition into the deep genetics of prostate cancer has uncovered a distinct subtype of the disease, one that appears to account for up to 15 percent of all cases, say researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College, the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute... |
Hormone-Depleting Drug Shows Promise Against Localized High-Risk Prostate Tumors
A hormone-depleting drug approved last year for the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer can help eliminate or nearly eliminate tumors in many patients with aggressive cancers that have yet to spread beyond the prostate, according to a clinical study to be presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), June 1-5, in Chicago... |
Racial Disparities Revealed In Prostate Cancer Surgery
Black prostate cancer patients may not be getting the same quality of care as white patients, according to a first-of-its-kind study by researchers at Henry Ford Hospital who found racial disparities in the results of surgery to remove diseased prostates... |
Avoiding Repeat Biopsies In Prostate Cancer - MDxHealth Launches ConfirmMDx
Each year, in the United States, more than 650,000 men receive a negative prostate biopsy result, with around 25-35% of these results being false negative. However, a new prostate cancer test has been launched by MdxHealth. The test - ConfirmMDx™ for Prostate Cancer - will help physicians identify which men have a true-negative prostate biopsy from those who may have occult cancer... |
Ancient Remedy Slows Prostate Tumor Cell Proliferation
An over-the-counter natural remedy derived from honeybee hives arrests the growth of prostate cancer cells and tumors in mice, according to a new paper from researchers at the University of Chicago Medicine. Caffeic acid phenethyl ester, or CAPE, is a compound isolated from honeybee hive propolis, the resin used by bees to patch up holes in hives... |
Prostate Cancer Stem Cells Identified Among Low-PSA Cells
Prostate cancer cells that defy treatment and display heightened tumor-generating capacity can be identified by levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA) expressed in the tumor cells, a research team led by scientists at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center reports in Cell Stem Cell... |
Gay Men And Minorities Have Poorer Quality Of Life After Prostate Cancer Treatment
To improve the quality of life in gay men and minorities treated for prostate cancer, a greater awareness of ethnic and sexual preference-related factors is needed to help men choose a more-suitable treatment plan, researchers from Thomas Jefferson University Hospital conclude in a literature review published in Nature Reviews Urology... |
Boron-Nitride Nanotubes Show Potential In Cancer Treatment
A new study has shown that adding boron-nitride nanotubes to the surface of cancer cells can double the effectiveness of Irreversible Electroporation, a minimally invasive treatment for soft tissue tumors in the liver, lung, prostate, head and neck, kidney and pancreas. Although this research is in the very early stages, it could one day lead to better therapies for cancer... |
Denosumab (Xgeva) Not Approved For Metastasis Prevention
Amgen's application for expanded indications for denosumab (Xgeva) were turned down by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) - the expanded indications were to include bone metastases prevention in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer... |
Prostate Cancer Cells Destroyed By The Common Herb Oregano
Oregano, the common pizza and pasta seasoning herb, has long been known to possess a variety of beneficial health effects, but a new study by researchers at Long Island University (LIU) indicates that an ingredient of this spice could potentially be used to treat prostate cancer, the second leading cause of cancer death in American men... |
Males With Mutated BRCA1 Breast Cancer Gene Have Higher Prostate Cancer Risk
Men who carry the mutated BRCA1 gene have a four times greater chance of developing prostate cancer than other males, researchers from the Institute of Cancer Research and the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust reported in the British Cancer Journal. The mutated BRCA1 is found in people with a family history of not only breast cancer, but ovarian cancer as well... |
Prostate Cancer And Radiation Therapies - The Need For Additional Treatments
In the April 18 issue of JAMA, a study comparing traditional radiation therapy to treat localized prostate cancer with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and proton therapy reveals thats IMRT was linked to fewer gastrointestinal side effects, receipt of additional cancer treatments and hip fractures but to more erectile dysfunction, whilst those who received proton ... |
|