Prostate Cancer: Early Signs and Treatments

The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be almost 250,000 new cases of prostate cancer and about 34,00 fatalities in the United States in 2021 alone. A male’s lifetime risk of developing this type of cancer is about 1 in 8. Taking the time to learn more about the disease, including the warning signs, can result in early detection, bettering your prognosis and speaking up the recovery process.

The prostate is a small gland just below the male bladder. Cancer of the prostate occurs when cells inside this gland mutate and reproduce rapidly, forming a tumor. Despite being a serious disease, prostate cancer is highly treatable when caught before it has spread. In fact, the five year survival rate is 97.8 percent.

Types

About 99 percent of prostate cancer cases are adenocarcinomas, which originates in gland cells. Prostate adenocarcinomas can be split into two categories: acinar (occurs in the lining of the gland) and ductal (develops in the ducts and tubes). Ductal tumors are often harder to detect and tend to spread faster than acinar tumors.

Rarer types of prostate cancer are:

• Sarcomas – Soft tissue cancer, common in men aged 35 to 60
• Neuroendocrine tumors (carcinoids) – Hormone secreting tumors that develop in the digestive tract before spreading to the prostate
• Small cell carcinoma – Highly aggressive, often fatal, and quite rare (less than one percent of cases)

Early Signs and Symptoms

Most people experience few to no symptoms when the disease first develops. In fact, close to 85 percent of cases are detected during early screening test. Prostate cancer is more common in African Americans and males over the age of 65. Warning signs of prostate cancer include:

• Difficulty starting or holding back urination
• The feeling that the bladder is never fully empty
• Urinating more frequently
• Blood in the urine or semen
• Erectile disfunction
• Painful ejaculation
• Pain, stiffness, or swelling in the lower extremities

Treatment Options

Treatment options for prostate cancer are chosen based on the stage, health of the patient, and whether the cancer has spread. Prostate cancer can be extremely slow-growing and therefore may be suitable for active surveillance. In this case, treatment would be delayed in order to maintain quality of life for as long as possible, while a physician keeps monitors tumor development. Other treatment options include:

• Surgery – This may involve removal of the entire prostate or both testicles
• Radiation therapy – Destroys cancer cells using high-energy rays
• Chemotherapy – Drugs that destroy cancer cells; unlikely to cure prostate cancer but may be used alongside other treatment to improve the outcome
• Testosterone suppression therapy – Slows down or halts tumor growth
• Cryotherapy – Freezing of the cancer cells to cut off the blood supply and kill the diseased tissue
• Systemic therapy – Used when the cancer has spread beyond the prostate; circulated through the body to attack cancer cells

If you notice any of the symptoms or have never had a prostate cancer screening test, book an exam with your doctor as soon as possible. They will be able to test you, provide advice, and devise a treatment plan suited to the stage of the cancer.