Prostate cancer is a major global health problem. According to the Global Cancer Observatory, there are 1.4 million cases worldwide, and increasing with the increase in the old age population. In India, patients diagnosed with prostate cancer is increasing rapidly due to obesity and old age. Domestic and international patients are coming to India for affordable prostate cancer treatment. In this article, we will learn about prostate cancer symptoms, including causes, risks, and treatment options.
What is Prostate Cancer?
Prostate cancer is a problem that starts in the prostate gland and negatively affects the male reproductive system. In this cancer, the cancerous cells slowly grow in the prostate and kill the healthy cells. The growth of cancerous cells is uncontrollable, which makes this cancer life-threatening. The common cause of this cancer is obesity and old age. Some early detecting signs are blood in urine and semen.
Causes of Prostate Cancer
Here are some causes of Prostate Cancer:
- Obesity: Overweight people have a high chance of having prostate cancer.
- Age: Old age people suffer from prostate cancer more than young people.
- Family History: A family history of prostate cancer can be a major cause.
- Diet: A diet high in bad cholesterol and low in fruits and vegetables can be a problem.
- Ethnicity: Men of black African ancestry have a high chance of prostate cancer.
- Smoking: It can increase the chances of prostate cancer at an early age.
Early Warning Signs of Prostate Cancer
Here are some common symptoms you should know:
Blood in Urine & Semen
If you see blood in your urine or semen, then it can be a sign of prostate cancer. There can be some other factors also, like infection and inflammation, but it can be a serious problem if it is persistent. Consulting with the doctor is the best option in this case.
Weak Urine Flow
If the urine flow is disrupted every time you go to urination, then it can be due to prostate cancer. This happens due to an enlarged prostate gland, which narrows the urethra through which urine goes out of the body. This causes difficulty in maintaining a steady flow during urination.
Weight Loss
Losing weight through exercise can be beneficial in lowering the risk of prostate cancer, but a sudden and unexplained weight loss can be a sign of prostate cancer. This can be a major problem, and in that situation, you should consult with your doctors for more details.
Fatigue
A feeling of continuous tiredness in the body can be another sign of prostate cancer. It has a physical and emotional effect on the patient’s body that affects the daily activities of the patient.
Difficulty in Urination
If you feel continuous difficulty while urination, then it is due to prostate cancer. This problem arises due to the tumor pressing on the urethra, which makes the urination process more difficult than before.
Difficulty in Erection
It is very difficult for a person to maintain an erection during prostate disease. This problem arises due to the disease itself and sometimes because of its treatment, including surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.
Advanced Prostate Cancer Symptoms
Here are some advanced prostate cancer symptoms you should know:
Back Pain
This symptom is seen when the problem grows in the prostate. In this case, the patient feels severe back pain due to prostate cancer. This problem arises when the cancer hits the spinal cord and pelvis. This symptom indicates that the cancerous cells are spreading to other parts of the body.
Bone Pain
This is another problem where patients feel pain in the bone due to cancerous cells growing in the prostate gland and making the bones weak. In this problem, cancerous cells spread to nearby bone and cause pain and damage to the bone, and in some cases, it converts to bone cancer, which is another life-threatening disease.
Loss of Bladder Control
Most patients are unable to control their urine during this cancer, and the problem arises of accidentally leaking urine. This symptom arises due to a tumor in the prostate gland, which continuously disrupts the functioning of the bladder.
Weakness in Arms & Legs
Many patients feel pain & weakness in the arms and legs due to spinal cord compression. In this case tumor starts compressing the spinal cord, which creates pain and discomfort in the body, while it also creates problems with bladder control.
Benefits of Early Detection of Prostate Cancer
Here are some points regarding the benefits of early detection of prostate cancer:
- High Survival Rate: The main benefit of early detection is that patients have a lot of time and treatment options for recovering from prostate cancer. The patient can easily prepare himself for surgery, finances, and other important matters.
- More Treatment Options: Early detection of disease opens more treatment options for the patients. They can select their treatment options between surgery and therapies.
- Prevents Spread: Early detection also helps in preventing cancer from spreading to other major organs of the body.
- Improved Quality of Life: Early treatment helps in preventing major complications in the prostate, such as erectile dysfunction, and makes life better.
Tips to Improve Prostate Cancer Symptoms
Here are some tips to improve prostate cancer symptoms:
- Healthy Diet: Eating a healthy and balanced diet is best to reduce the chances of prostate cancer. It is best to add fruits and vegetables to your diet for better results.
- Exercise: Regular exercise helps in reducing your body’s excess fat and boosts the immune system. Moreover, it also helps in reducing stress levels.
- Choose a Balanced Diet over Supplements: It is best to choose a balanced diet over supplements because many supplements come with added chemicals, which are not good for your body.
- Healthy Weight: Maintaining a healthy BMI is best to reduce the chances of every type of disease. Because many diseases arise due to being overweight.
- Follow the Medical and Treatment Plan: Following a proper medical and treatment plan is best for your health, and it also helps you recover faster from your disease.
- Manage Stress: It is very important to manage your stress levels because it helps you recover faster from your disease and makes you comfortable and relaxed.
- Regular Checkups: Checkups at regular intervals are important for understanding the current status of your disease.
What are the Risks of Advanced Prostate Cancer?
Here are the risks of advanced prostate cancer:
- Erectile Dysfunction: This is a risk related to sexual function in which the patient loses the erection in the penis.
- Spinal Cord Compression: This condition arises when cancerous cells spread over the spinal cord and start compressing it. This action causes muscle weakness and leg paralysis.
- Hypercalcemia: In this condition, calcium is elevated in the blood and causes vomiting and constipation.
Prostate Cancer Diagnosis & Pre-Tests
Here are some diagnoses & pre-tests mentioned below:
- Digital Rectal Exam: In this test, a doctor inserts a gloved, lubricated finger inside the rectum to check the prostate abnormal areas.
- Prostate-Specific Antigen: This is a test used to check the PSA protein level in the body. A higher PSA level means cancer in the body.
- MRI: It provides a detailed image of the prostate area.
Treatment Options Available for Prostate Cancer?
Here are some treatment options mentioned below:
- Surgery: It is a complete invasive technique in which doctors remove the prostate gland affected by cancer.
- Radiation Therapy: In this treatment, a high-energy ray machine is used to target and kill cancerous cells present in the prostate gland.
- Hormone Therapy: This is a therapy in which male hormones are reduced to some extent so that these hormones do not fuel prostate cancer.
- Chemotherapy: In this treatment option, drugs are used to kill the cancerous cells present in the prostate gland.
- Immunotherapy: This therapy is used to boost the immune system of patients so that they can fight cancerous cells on their own.
Conclusion
Prostate cancer is a serious disease that can cost your life. So it is very important for people to know the symptoms of these diseases so that they can take preventive measures on time. It is best to consult with your doctor if you have any symptoms which are mentioned above in this article. I hope you like this article and gain some insights from it. So take care and see you in our next informative article.