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Dreaded
'P' word
Volume
48, No. 12, July 13, 2006
Many
men are afraid of their prostate. They shouldn’t be.
In our series on cancer, Rebecca Codey focuses on
the tiny gland called the prostate.
EACH
year in Australia 2600 men die of prostate cancer — equivalent
to the number of women who die from breast cancer annually.
It is the most common cancer in Australian men after skin
cancer, and the second highest cause of male cancer deaths.
Around 10,000 new cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed in
Australian men every year, but many cases do not develop into
terminal cases of cancer. It is potentially curable if detected
and treated while still confined to the prostate gland. And
early detection can be achieved with a PSA (Prostate Specific
Antigen) blood test or DRE (Digital Rectal Examination) testing.
Although prostate cancer is not common in men under 50, younger
men with a family history of prostate cancer can be more susceptible
than those without a family history of cancer.
According to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA)
website, the disease is complicated because some cancers grow
very slowly and don’t threaten life, while others grow
more rapidly and do.
Medical experts and researchers are currently trying to distinguish
the cancers that are a threat to a patient from those that
are not.
Causes
While the causes of prostate cancer are unknown, fatty foods
are believed to play a role. There is some evidence that an
adjustment of diet to reduce the intake of saturated fats
and increase the intake of fruit, vegetables and certain trace
elements and food components may be beneficial.
Risk factors
The chance of developing prostate cancer increases:
-
As
you get older. More than 70 per cent of all new prostate
cancers are found in men over the age of 65;
-
If
your father or brother has had prostate cancer.
Warning
signs
Early prostate cancer rarely causes symptoms. This is because
the cancer is not large enough to put pressure on the urethra.
However, if the cancer grows and spreads beyond the prostate
(advanced prostate cancer), it may cause the following problems:
-
pain
or burning when urinating;
-
-
-
pain
in the lower back, hips or upper thighs.
These
symptoms are common to many conditions and may not be advanced
prostate cancer. If you are concerned, see your doctor.
Most men will seek testing for prostate cancer for the following
reasons:
-
As
part of a general checkup, usually after 50 years of
age;
-
Due
to a recent experience with a relative or friend who has
suffered from prostate cancer;
-
A
family history of prostate cancer; or
-
A
recent onset of urinary symptoms which may have alerted
the patient to that area of the body.
The
Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia encourages men to
make up their own mind as to whether they are tested for
prostate cancer after considering what their main concern
is, what their risk of developing the cancer is, and after
understanding the pros and cons of early detection.
Treatment options
There are now so many ways of curing a man with prostate
cancer and early detection and promotion of the disease
has become a much more important aspect in overcoming this
major disease.
The major dilemma with prostate cancer is that many of these
cancers are slow growing and, in older men, may not need
treating. Men with a life expectancy of less than 10 years
will rarely benefit from radical treatment of early prostate
cancer.
Treatment differs depending on whether the cancer is in
an early or advanced stage.
In the early stage of development, the prostate may be removed
surgically or treated with different forms of radiation.
The side-effects of potentially curative treatments for
localised prostate cancer include a significant risk of
impotence or, less commonly, urinary incontinence and bowel
problems. Side effects vary for different treatment types.
Advanced cancers are treated by hormone therapy, but cannot
be cured.
Seek medical advice from your doctor or phone the Cancer
Council helpline on 13 11 20 if you have concerns for your
health.
-
The
prostate is a small gland forming part of the male reproductive
system. Its main function is to produce fluid which protects
and enriches sperm.
-
In
younger men the prostate is about the size of a walnut.
It is located below the bladder and is doughnut-shaped,
since it surrounds the beginning of the urethra.
-
Prostate
cancer is an abnormal growth of prostate cells, which
form a lump (tumour) in the prostate.
-
The
Cancer Institute of NSW says that prostate cancer made
up 14 per cent of new cancer cases detected in NSW in
2003 — a total of 4637.
-
By
2011, the incidence of new cases in NSW is expected to
be 5942, with prostate cancer the most common form of
all cancers.
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