Where is the prostate gland located?
The prostate gland is a small, hormone producing organ that encircles the upper part of the urethra. It is only found in men, and is responsible for the creation of certain male hormones. It is vital to proper sexual functioning and to regular bladder control. The prostate gland is necessary in order to survive, reproduce and just live comfortably, making conditions that affect it of the utmost importance.
FAQs About Prostate Cancer
- How common is prostate cancer?
- How does prostate cancer compare with other cancers?
- Are some men more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer?
- How curable is prostate cancer?
- What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?
- If there are no symptoms, how is prostate cancer detected?
- How is prostate cancer treated?
- Where can I find more information about the different treatment options for prostate cancer?
- What is the Prostate Cancer Foundation doing to find better treatments and a cure for prostate cancer?
How common is prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in America , affecting 1 in 6 men.
In 2007, more than 218,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, and more than 27,000 men will die from the disease. One new case occurs every 2.5 minutes and a man dies from prostate cancer every 19 minutes.
It is estimated that there are more than 2 million American men currently living with prostate cancer. Visit the About Prostate Cancer section for more information.
How does prostate cancer compare with other cancers?
A non-smoking man is more likely to develop prostate cancer than he is to develop colon, bladder, melanoma, lymphoma and kidney cancers combined. In fact, a man is 35% more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than a woman is to be diagnosed with breast cancer. Visit the About Prostate Cancer section for more information.
Are some men more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer?
Older age, African American race, and a family history of the disease can all increase the likelihood of a man being diagnosed with the disease.
As men increase in age, their risk of developing prostate cancer increases exponentially. Although only 1 in 10,000 under age 40 will be diagnosed, the rate shoots up to 1 in 39 for ages 40 to 59, and 1 in 14 for ages 60 to 69. More than 65% of all prostate cancers are diagnosed in men over the age of 65.
African American men are 56% more likely to develop prostate cancer compared with Caucasian men and nearly 2.5 times as likely to die from the disease.
Men with a single first-degree relative—father, brother or son—with a history of prostate cancer are twice as likely to develop the disease, while those with two or more relatives are nearly four times as likely to be diagnosed. The risk is highest in men whose family members were diagnosed before age 65. Visit the Risk Factors for Prostate Cancer section for more information.
How curable is prostate cancer?
As with all cancers, "cure" rates for prostate cancer describe the percentage of patients likely remaining disease-free for a specific time. In general, the earlier the cancer is caught, the more likely it is for the patient to remain disease-free.
Because approximately 90% of all prostate cancers are detected in the local and regional stages, the cure rate for prostate cancer is very high—nearly 100% of men diagnosed at this stage will be disease-free after five years. By contrast, in the 1970s, only 67% of men diagnosed with local or regional prostate cancer were disease-free after five years. Visit the About Prostate Cancer section for more information.
What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?
If the cancer is caught at its earliest stages, most men will not experience any symptoms. Some men, however, will experience symptoms such as frequent, hesitant, or burning urination, difficulty in having an erection, or pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips or upper thighs.
Because these symptoms can also indicate the presence of other diseases or disorders, men who experience any of these symptoms will undergo a thorough work-up to determine the underlying cause of the symptoms. Visit the Prostate Cancer Symptoms section for more information.
If there are no symptoms, how is prostate cancer detected?
Screening for prostate cancer can be performed in a physician's office using two tests: the PSA (prostate-specific antigen) blood test and the digital rectal exam (DRE).
The American Cancer Society recommends that both the PSA and DRE should be offered annually, beginning at age 50, to men who have at least a 10-year life expectancy. Men at high risk, such as African American men and men with a strong family history of one or more first-degree relatives diagnosed at an early age should begin testing at age 45. Men at even higher risk, due to multiple first-degree relatives affected at an early age, could begin testing at age 40. Visit the Detection & Screening section for more information.
How is prostate cancer treated?
There are a wide variety of treatment options available for men with prostate cancer, including surgery, radiation therapy, hormone therapy and chemotherapy, any or all of which might be used at different times depending on the stage of disease and the need for treatment.
Consultation with all three types of prostate cancer specialists—a urologist, a radiation oncologist and a medical oncologist—will offer the most comprehensive assessment of the available treatments and expected outcomes. Visit the Treatment section for more information.
Q: How long will I remain hospitalized after a prostatectomy ?
A: The hospital stay for prostatectomy averages about five days and depends mostly on the nature of the surgery and the health status of the patient. In addition, a high level of patient support from others, including family, relatives, and friends, can promote the healing process and shorten the hospital stay.
Q: Will I have pain after a prostatectomy?
A: You may experience some discomfort post-operatively, especially when urinating after the Foley catheter is removed. This is temporary and usually disappears as healing progresses. If you have pain, do not hesitate to inform your nurse and doctor so that an appropriate pain medication can be administered.
Q: Will I be able to function sexually after prostate removal surgery?
A: Complications of prostatectomy include impotence and incontinence. However, your chances are still good that you will remain potent and that any incontinence will be temporary. After prostate removal, your ejaculations will be dry due to retrograde ejaculation . However, the experience of orgasm should remain unaffected and therefore enjoyable. Worrying too much about the ability to function sexually can create a psychological stumbling block that by itself can impair sexual functioning. One way to reduce the tension is to learn as much as possible about the surgical procedure and to thoroughly discuss sexual issues involving the operation with your surgeon.
Q: Will I require additional treatment after surgery for removal of the prostate gland ?
A: If prostatectomy was for prostate cancer and all the cancer cells were located within the prostate gland, then your cancer is cured. However, because it sometimes is difficult to tell if cancer has spread, some men may need treatment for a recurrence of cancer. If prostatectomy was a treatment for prostate enlargement (benign prostatic hyperplasia), about 10 percent of men will require additional surgery because of complications arising from the prostatectomy.
Q: Will I still be able to exercise in the gym I belong to after discharge from the hospital?
A: During the first month of recovery, the body is repairing the physical trauma caused by the surgery and the incision is also healing. For these reasons, you should refrain from physical activities that place a stress or strain on the abdominal and pelvic regions of the body. Taking it easy should avoid a possible setback from complications while healing. After this initial period of relative inactivity, you should be able to gradually resume a balanced program of aerobic and resistive physical exercise. However, you should consult with your physician before doing so.
Q: Is prostate enlargement related to prostate cancer?
A: There is no cause-and-effect relationship between prostate enlargement and prostate cancer, based on our present medical understanding. In other words, they are independent events, although both conditions may be present at the same time in one individual.
Be sure to read the Nutrition Guide for prostate health
To stop cancer from ever returning, you must completely stop cancer at its source. Cancer is foremost a psychological disease and its appearance in your body is a sign that at a deep level, your life is not working. Unless you approach and treat ALL the areas of your life, cancer is likely to re-occur.
I have been researching the origins and causes of cancer. I am a reputed expert in the field of spontaneous remission. Learn more about this disease and how you can stop it from ever returning to your life. www.cancer-free-for-life.com
