Watching the cancer is another treatment option.  This sounds like waiting for the other shoe to drop but it is not.  The doctors closely monitor any changes in the size of the tumor.  This works for men who have early cancers.  For your part, any changes in symptoms need to be reported immediately to your doctor.

Another option that men are seeking is hormone therapy.  This term is most common when talking about conditions that affect women, such as menopause.  But, hormones are a part of the normal functioning of the human body, female or male.

For men, the hormone in question is testosterone.  What this hormone does is increase the growth of the tumor.  Using drugs to block testosterone from having an effect on the prostate cancer is one way to keep the tumor from growing.

When considering hormone therapy, be well informed.  For tumors that are contained within the prostate, changing the levels of testosterone may do more harm than good.  This therapy has been shown to help men with advanced and metastatic prostate cancer.

Before giving up hope, consider your treatment options.

The main factor to consider when treatment is discussed is the stage of the cancer.  Staging is done to let you know at what rate the cancer is progressing and the severity at the time of diagnosis.  As you know, prostate cancer grows slowly and is highly curable while the cancer is within the gland itself.  Other factors include age, diet and lifestyle.

Prostate cancer that is caught early has the most treatment options.  One option is surgery.  The gland can be removed and the cancer with it.  There are different surgical options depending on your preference.  Removing the prostate whole involves a surgical procedure called a prostatectomy.  Before performing surgery, the surgeon will perform a procedure on the lymph nodes to make sure the cancer hasn’t spread.

A less invasive procedure is trans-urethral resection of the prostate.  The prostate gland is broken into smaller pieces and removed through the urethra so there is no incision made.  Surgery is an option for younger men that have the disease, since they have a higher chance of the cancer progressing and metastasizing as they age.

Surgical intervention has its side effects.  Men who have undergone surgery can suffer from urinary or fecal incontinence or erectile dysfunction.  These conditions do get better over time with drugs but some men will need further surgery to tighten sphincter muscles to control incontinence.

Another option is radiation therapy.  This is also termed brachytherapy.  For prostate cancer, radiation therapy is usually received through the implanting of radioactive “seeds”near the tumor.  There are also other methods of radiation therapy such as external radiation.

(cont)

More tell tail signs of Prostate cancer are:

Having trouble controlling the stream of urine.  This pertains to getting the urine to flow in the first place or stopping it at will.

Blood in the urine is the sign that usually alarms most men.  The blood may also be present in ejaculated fluid.

Pain or a burning sensation when you urinate or ejaculate is another noted symptom.

At the first sign of these conditions you should consult a doctor.  It could be benign prostate disease or it could be a cancerous tumor getting larger.

There are also signs of advanced prostate cancer.  This means that the tumor has gotten large enough to block normal function or the cancer has spread beyond the confines of the gland.

Typical symptoms include:

* Losing weight
* Fatigue
* Nausea or vomiting
* Pain in the pelvis, bones, lower back, ribs or upper thigh area

Don’t wait.  A clear diagnosis of your situation can make all the difference.

As we have mentioned in our earlier post, prostate cancer is one of the major cancers found in men.  It has a high cure rate as long as it is caught early enough.  You should know the symptoms and signs of this condition so that you can get medical attention before it is too late.

Why are these exams important?

Well, most cancers of the prostate occur in men who are over 65 unless there is a family history of the disease.  But, early intervention can help you avoid ever getting prostate cancer.  Doctors can detect subtle changes in the feel and size of the gland that could be a warning of things to come.

Currently, there are no warning signs if you are in the early stages of the cancer.  Know this: Prostate cancer grows slowly and those who have it are more likely to die of other causes than this cancer.  And, recognizing the symptoms and lowering your risk factors can keep it that way.

The symptoms will begin to present when the tumor begins to grow.  One tell-tale sign is frequent urination.  If you notice that you are getting up more than usual at night to pee, be on the alert for other symptoms that may also be occurring.

Begin to examine your urine.  A weak urine stream even when you know that your bladder is full can indicate that the prostate is getting bigger.  Because the prostate is surrounded by the urethra (carries urine from the bladder to the outside) any changes in size will press on these tubes.

Have you heard about cooking on a charcoal grill?  Substances produced in the char have been known to increase the incidence of cancer.  Combine that with eating a lot of red meat like steaks and you have just upped your risk factors. A barbeque once in a while is okay, but let’s not overdo it, and keep our men healthy!

One major cause of prostate cancer is genetic.  Those with a family history of prostate cancer need to seek a doctor’s advice on the matter.  Yearly checkups will begin well before the age of 50 in these cases.

Doctors are hesitant to say that diet and genetics actually “cause” prostate cancer.  They do significantly increase the risk that you will develop it.  Changing what you eat and getting yearly tests may just keep the disease from ever touching your life in the first place.

Healthful Goddess provides information about healthy living, and in this segment we will concentrate on articles about Prostate Cancer, its causes, symptoms and treatment, so you can help the men in your life!

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Every year, over 240,000 men will get a diagnosis of prostate cancer.

Study shows that in America, prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in the male population.  Therefore, it is important to know what factors come into play when determining if you are at risk.  Here are some of the causes of prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is rare in other parts of the world.  That alone suggests that environment and diet play a significant role in the formation of this type of cancer.  It is not the number one killer of men but there are close to 30,000 deaths a year from the condition.  African-American men have the highest incidence of prostate cancer.

Like any other cancer, cancer of the prostate can begin with normal cells.  When the cells start to grow out of control you have cancer.  Prostate cancer has a very high cure rate when the cancer remains in situ (within the gland).  Once the cancer metastasizes to other organs, the brain and/or bone, it is incurable.

So, what do you need to know about prostate cancer to lower your chances of developing the disease?

The prostate is a small gland that is found below the bladder in the male reproductive system.  This gland is responsible for creating most of the fluid that goes into making semen.  The male hormone, testosterone, regulates the function of the prostate gland.

The prostate can become enlarged.  This is called BPH or benign prostatic hypertrophy.  It can be uncomfortable to say the least, but there are no cancer cells.  You wonít know if this is the case unless you get tested.  Beginning at age 50, a yearly exam is recommenced to catch any cancer that may be growing there.

As we said, diet can play a big role in the development of prostate cancer.  Men who have a diet high in red meat and unhealthy fats are at greater risk.  This excess animal fat increases the production of testosterone in the body.  Prostate cancer is essentially a slow growing cancer, but testosterone increases the growth rate of the prostate tumor.

… continued

As we said, diet plays a role in the development of prostate cancer.  Men who have a diet high in red meat and unhealthy fats are at greater risk.  This excess animal fat increases the production of testosterone in the body.  Prostate cancer is essentially a slow growing cancer, but testosterone increases the growth rate of the prostate tumor.

Have you heard about cooking on a charcoal grill?  Substances produced in the char have been known to increase the incidence of cancer.  Combine that with eating a lot of red meat like steaks and you have just upped your risk factors.

One major cause of prostate cancer is genetic.  Those with a family history of prostate cancer need to seek a doctorís advice on the matter.  Yearly checkups will begin well before the age of 50 in these cases.

Doctors are hesitant to say that diet and genetics actually ìcauseî prostate cancer.  They do significantly increase the risk that you will develop it.  Changing what you eat and getting yearly tests may just keep the disease from ever touching your life in the first place.

In America, prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in the male population.  Therefore, it is important to know what factors come into play when determining if you are at risk.  Here are some of the causes of prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is rare in other parts of the world.  That alone suggests that environment and diet play a significant role in the formation of this type of cancer.

Like any other cancer, cancer of the prostate begins with normal cells.  When the cells start to grow out of control you have cancer.  Prostate cancer has a very high cure rate when the cancer remains in situ (within the gland).  Once the cancer metastasizes to other organs, the brain and/or bone, it is incurable.

So, what do you need to know about prostate cancer to lower your chances of developing the disease?  First, let’s discuss the prostate.  It is a small gland that is found below the bladder in the male reproductive system.  This gland is responsible for creating most of the fluid that goes into making semen.  The male hormone, testosterone, regulates the function of the prostate gland.

The prostate can become enlarged.  This is called BPH or benign prostatic hypertrophy.  It is uncomfortable to say the least, but there are no cancer cells.  You won’t know if this is the case unless you get tested.  Beginning at age 50, a yearly exam is recommenced to catch any cancer that may be growing there.