Prostate Cancer

What It Is

Prostate cancer develops in the prostate gland, a part of the male reproductive system. The prostate gland is a walnut-sized gland located just below the bladder. It encircles the urethra, the tube that empties urine from the bladder. The prostate gland produces and stores fluid that forms part of semen.

The symptoms of prostate cancer are similar to a condition known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or enlarged prostate. For this reason, prostate cancer is sometimes found by accident during the work-up or treatment of BPH.

According to the American Cancer Society, most prostate cancers grow very slowly. Studies have shown that many older men who died of other diseases had a prostate cancer that neither they nor their doctor were aware of. However, some prostate cancers grow and spread quickly, and it is often hard to determine how aggressive a person's disease is.

 

Prostate Cancer Stages

When a man is diagnosed with prostate cancer, his doctor needs to determine whether cancer cells have spread to other parts of the body. This determines the stage of the cancer and helps determine treatment.

Staging of prostate cancer is based on the extent of the tumor, whether the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes, and whether the cancer has metastasized to other parts of the body. The most up-to-date staging system uses Roman numerals (I-IV):

• Stage I: The cancer has not spread outside the prostate gland. It cannot be felt during a rectal exam and may have been found accidentally during surgery for another reason, such as BPH.
• Stage II: The cancer has not spread outside the prostate gland but involves more tissue within the prostate. The tumor can be felt during a rectal exam or it was found with a biopsy.
• Stage III: The cancer has spread outside the prostate gland into the surrounding tissues, including lymph nodes.
• Stage IV: The cancer has spread to distant parts of the body.

Cancer that has come back after it has been treated is referred to as recurrent prostate cancer.

 

Who Is More At Risk

According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men, excluding skin cancers. It is estimated that about 230,110 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in the United States in 2004.

In the United States, prostate cancer is primarily found in men over the age of 55. The average age of patients diagnosed with prostate cancer is 70 years.

Although the causes of prostate cancer are not known, a number of factors have been associated with an increased risk of this cancer. These include:

• Family history: If a man's father or brother has had prostate cancer, a man's risk for developing the cancer is higher than average.
• Race: Prostate cancer is more common in African American men than in white men. It is less common in Asians and American Indians.
• Dietary factors:There is evidence to suggest that a diet high in animal fat may increase a man's risk of prostate cancer and that a diet high in fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk.

 

‹ previous section | next section ›