September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. This health observation promotes greater awareness for early detection and the necessity of leveraging public resources for life-saving research and new treatments for those with advanced stages of the disease. Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men. Although the disease is rare before the age of 50, experts believe that most elderly men have traces of it. For reasons not fully understood, African-American men have the highest frequency of prostate cancer in the world.
Prostate cancer is typically a slow-growing tumor, often causing no symptoms until it is in an advanced stage. Most men with prostate cancer die of other causes — many without ever realizing they have the disease. Once prostate cancer begins to grow more rapidly or spreads outside the prostate, it becomes dangerous. However, prostate cancer in its early stages (confined only to the prostate gland) can be effectively treated with very good outcomes for survival. Fortunately, about 85 percent of American men with prostate cancer are diagnosed at an early stage.
Prostate cancer mainly affects older men, with four out of five cases diagnosed in men over 65. Although it is rare, prostate cancer is sometimes seen in men in their 30s or 40s. Men with a family history of prostate cancer are more likely to develop the disease than the general population. Doctors cannot say with certainty what causes prostate cancer, but experts generally agree that diet contributes to the risk. Men who consume large amounts of fat particularly from red meat and other sources of animal fat are more likely to develop prostate cancer.
While there are no symptoms or warning signs for prostate cancer in its early stages, once the disease has reached an advanced stage most men with prostate cancer begin to experience symptoms related to their ability to urinate. Two initial tests are commonly used to look for prostate cancer in the absence of any symptoms, although neither of these tests can absolutely confirm a prostate cancer diagnosis. Instead, the diagnosis can only be confirmed by examining prostate cells under a microscope. In addition to this test, your doctor will also ask you questions about any history of genital or urinary disease in your family, which can help them make an accurate diagnosis.
Visit your doctor today if you experience changes in urination or have a family history of cancer.
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