Prostate cancer is a type of cancer that develops in the prostate gland. It is a small organ shaped like a walnut found below the bladder of men. This gland is mainly responsible for producing seminal fluid in which the sperm can freely float to reach the urethra.
Facts on Prostate Cancer :
- Prostate cancer is the one that develops in the male’s reproductive organ and is one of the common types of cancer occurring in men.
- Prostate cancer cannot be diagnosed in early stages since very often it would not show any symptoms.
- Prostate cancer develops in elderly men (above 65 years) and only in rare cases it occurs in middle aged men.
- Often, prostate cancer develops very slowly and can be diagnosed in advanced stages.
- Each year, about 230 million new cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed in the USA alone.
- African American men have the maximum death rate due to prostate cancer.
- Prostate cancer can be treated with fair chances of survival if found in early stages and before the cancer cells have spread to other parts.
- There are many men who live with prostate cancer for many years with proper treatment. And often they die of other causes and not due to prostate cancer.
Symptoms :
Prostate cancer would not produce any sign in the initial stages. It becomes evident for the person only in advanced stages. Some of the symptoms of prostate cancer are leakage of blood in urine, leakage of blood in the semen, difficulty in passing urine, pain/discomfort in the pelvic region, erectile dysfunction and bone pain.
Causes :
Exact cause of prostate cancer is still unknown. More than 80% of the cases diagnosed are above 65 years and you have more chance of developing it if your father or close relative had it. Cancer cells begin to grow in the prostate gland when some of the cells undergo abnormal mutation. Under normal condition, old cells would die giving way for freshly formed cells. But these cells continue to live forming a mass or tumor growing and multiplying rapidly.