PROSTATE CANCER

General Information

DEFINITION--Growth of malignant cells in the prostate gland, the gland at the base of the urinary bladder in men that helps form semen. Many prostate cancers grow very slowly and never cause symptoms or spread.

BODY PARTS INVOLVED--Prostate.

SEX OR AGE MOST AFFECTED--Men over age 50.

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS

Early stages:

• No symptoms (usually). Most prostate cancers are discovered during a routine rectal examination.

Later stages:

• Urinary obstruction.
• Pain in the low back or pelvis from spread of cancer.

CAUSES--Unknown.

RISK INCREASES WITH

• Genetic predisposition.
• Hormonal influences.
• Exposure to cancer causing chemicals.
• Sexually transmitted disease.

HOW TO PREVENT--No specific method. A yearly rectal examination after age 40 is the best way to detect early prostate cancer.

What To Expect

DIAGNOSTIC MEASURES--

• Your own observation of symptoms, especially urinary obstruction.
• Medical history and physical exam by a doctor, including rectal examination.
• Diagnostic tests may include digital rectal examination (DRE), core-needle biopsy, prostatic-specific-antigen (PSA) and transrectal ultrasound. For staging to determine any spread of the cancer, a bone scan, measurement of serum prostatic acid phosphatase, biopsy of prostate tissue and of lymph node tissue.

APPROPRIATE HEALTH CARE

• Doctor's treatment.
• Surgery is usually recommended, unless pre-existing medical conditions, such as chronic heart, lung, kidney or liver disease, or advanced age prohibit it.
• Surgery to remove the prostate gland and testes (sometimes), if the cancer has not spread. (See 2 topics on Prostate-Gland removal in Surgery section.)
• Radiation or hormone treatment, if the cancer has spread or for patients unable to undergo surgery.
• Psychotherapy or counseling, if sexual difficulties occur after treatment.

POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS

• Fatal spread to bone, bladder and other organs.
• Urinary incontinence.
• Sexual impotence after surgery (sometimes).

PROBABLE OUTCOME--Often curable with surgery if treated before cancer spreads. Even after spread, therapy can relieve symptoms and prolong life.

How To Treat

GENERAL MEASURES--

• The more you can learn and understand about prostate cancer, the more you will be able to make informed decisions about where to go for your care, the treatments available, the risks involved, side effects of therapy and expected outcome.
• See Resources for Additional Information.

MEDICATION--Your doctor may prescribe:

• Hormones (usually estrogens or leutinizing-hormone-releasing hormone) to slow malignant growth in bones. Other chemotherapy treatment is not effective with prostate cancer.
• Analgesics to control pain.

ACTIVITY--Resume your normal activities gradually after surgery. Resume sexual relations when able.

DIET--No special diet.

Call Your Doctor If

• You have symptoms of prostate cancer.
• During treatment, any sign of urinary-tract infection occurs, such as: frequent, difficult or painful urination; fever and chills; aching around the genitals or rectum; or backache.
• New, unexplained symptoms develop. Drugs used in treatment may produce side effects.