| Approximately 200,000 men in the United States will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year, and up to 30,000 of them will die from the disease. All men are at risk for developing prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer is a malignant tumor that usually begins in the outer part of the prostate. In most men, the cancer grows very slowly. In fact, many men with the disease will never know they have the condition. If detected and properly treated, the majority of patients with this type of cancer can live for years with no problems.
The cause of prostate cancer is unknown. But, it is more common in African-Americans and men with a family history of the disease. Annual screening for these men should begin at age 40, and age 50 for all other men.
The greatest risk factor for prostate cancer is age. More than 75 percent of all prostate cancers are diagnosed in men over 65. Research suggests high-fat diets, high levels of the male hormone androgen, exposure to heavy metals such as cadmium, infectious agents, sedentary lifestyle, and smoking may be contributing factors.
In its early stages, prostate cancer may not cause any symptoms, but as it progresses, symptoms may appear including: a need to urinate frequently (especially at night); difficulty or inability to urinate; weak or interrupted urine flow; painful or burning urination; and painful ejaculation. | | Other symptoms may include: blood in urine or semen; frequent pain or stiffness in the back, hips, or upper thighs; bone spread causing pain; or neurological changes.
Most physicians recommend annual digital rectal exams and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests for all men beginning at age 45. Most early cases of prostate cancer are detected with these tests.
Once detected, prostate cancer patients have several treatment options to manage the tumor: radiation, chemotherapy, surgery, or hormone treatment.
Denver Health is a leader in performing minimally invasive surgery such as laparoscopic radical prostatectomy that surgically removes the prostate gland and some of the surrounding tissue. Prostatectomy is the most common treatment for localized cancer of the prostate in men under age 70 who do not have other health complications.
While the number of men diagnosed with prostate cancer remains high, survival rates are also improving. Eighty-nine percent of the men diagnosed with the disease will survive at least five years, while 63 percent will survive 10 years or longer.
Editor’s note: For more information, contact Denver Health’s Urology Department at 303-436-6559. |
