What Is Prostrate Cancer?

Prostate cancer is a frequently seen cancer in men that affects the prostate gland, which is located near the bladder. Prostate cancer causes the growth of abnormal cells in the gland that can then spread to other part of the body if the cancer is not detected in time. However, the chances for a full recovery are excellent when the cancer is found while it is still within the prostate.

Detection

• Because prostate cancer brings with it few if any signs while it is in its earliest stages, the disease is hard to detect simply from symptoms. However, screening regularly for the disease can detect it, with tests such as digital rectal exams and blood tests.

Signs

• Problems with urination can be the first observable signs of prostate cancer, since the prostate surrounds the urethra, the tube that runs from the bladder that carries urine. Men that have a difficult time urinating, with a weak urine stream or one that stops and then starts again, may have prostate cancer, although more commonly this problem is due to an enlarged prostate.

Advanced Symptoms

• If prostate cancer has made its way into a man's lymph nodes, then he could notice swelling that occurs in the legs and pain in the region of the pelvis. If the bones have become involved, then the pain that radiates from them are a symptom that the cancer has spread.

Treatments

• Surgery to remove the prostate is a highly effective treatment for this cancer if it has failed to spread beyond the gland. Other treatments include radiation therapy and the use of medications to keep the male hormone testosterone from helping the cancer grow.

Risks

• The vast majority of prostate cancer cases are in men over the age of 50. African-Americans are more prone to the ailment than other ethnic groups, and obesity has been associated with a higher incidence as well.