Prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer, other than skin cancer, in American men. It’s the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths behind lung cancer, with approximately one in six men being diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime.

The current standard of cancer care includes a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test, which detects elevated PSA levels, indicating prostate cancer or benign conditions.

If a patient has elevated PSA levels and/or a suspicious lump, more tests may be required. Additional testing includes a transrectal ultrasound, which involves taking tissue samples from the prostate.

In its early stages, prostate cancer shows no symptoms. When prostate cancer does show signs or symptoms, they typically appear in the following ways:

• Frequent urination
• Weak or disrupted urine flow or the need to strain to empty the bladder
• Urge to frequently urinate
• Blood in the urine
• Blood in the semen
• Erectile dysfunction
• Pain or burning during urination
• Discomfort or pain while sitting, caused by an enlarged prostate

Depending on each case, treatment options for men with prostate cancer might include:

• Surgery
• Radiation therapy
• Cryotherapy (use of low temperatures during medical therapy)
• Hormone therapy
• Chemotherapy
• Vaccine treatments
• Transurethral ultrasound ablation

A risk factor is anything that contributes to your chances of developing a disease, such as cancer. While some risk factors can be modified, others, like a person's age or family history, can't be changed. There are a variety of instances in which a man can be at risk for prostate cancer, including:

• Race/ethnicity (African-American men are at highest risk.)
• Age (Most cases are found in men 65 years old and older.)
• Family history
• Gene changes
• Diet and lifestyle
• Obesity
• Smoking
• Exposure to certain chemicals
• Inflammation of the prostate
• Sexually transmitted infections
• Vasectomy (This is a minor surgery to make a man infertile.)