Over the past decade, the number of patients diagnosed with prostate cancer has increased dramatically. This disease is also known under other names: prostate carcinoma or prostate carcinoma.
Approximately 400,000 men worldwide are diagnosed with the disease each year. Many cases are fatal. Doctors explain this by a late visit to the clinic and neglect of annual medical examinations. What you need to know about prostate cancer, symptoms? And is there any chance of recovery at all?
General concepts
Prostate cancer is a malignant tumor that affects the tissues of the prostate gland. Medical statistics say that this type of oncology in many countries occupies a leading position in the mortality of men from cancer. Only tumors of the stomach and lungs are ahead of prostate carcinoma.
The bulk of patients with this diagnosis are men who have reached the age of 40. However, with age, the risk of developing prostate cancer increases significantly. So, 70% of patients are elderly people from 60 to 80 years old.
Causes of Prostate Carcinoma
There are no exact data on the reasons for the development of oncology. Doctors today have only managed to identify risk factors. These data are established on the basis of special studies and data collection during the comprehensive diagnosis of cancer patients.
- Age. This is one of those risk factors that international medical statistics irrefutably confirm. Men under 40 years old have practically no symptoms of prostate cancer, and if such cases are detected, then they are single. Such a regularity can be explained by age-related changes occurring in the cells of the human body.
- Genetics. There is a likelihood of a genetic predisposition to this disease. In other words, if the close relatives of the man suffered from a malignant tumor of the prostate gland, then the risk increases markedly.
- Alcohol abuse. Frequent consumption of strong drinks becomes one of the risk factors for the development of prostate carcinoma, especially if it is accompanied by prolonged smoking.
- Diseases of the prostate gland. Almost half of the male population at least once in their life experienced problems with difficulty urinating, lack of attraction and the appearance of pain in the groin. These are symptoms of inflammation of the prostate (prostatitis). Lack of proper treatment or an incomplete course of therapy can lead to pathological processes in the tissues of the prostate and cause the growth of malignant cells.
- Improper nutrition. Lack of a balanced diet is extremely important. Studies have shown that many patients in cancer clinics preferred meat products, fried, spicy and fatty foods.
- BPH. Patients with prostate adenoma require special attention. A benign tumor can degenerate into a malignant one over time.
- Sedentary lifestyle. The lack of regular physical activity provokes blood stasis in the pelvic area. Oxygen starvation of cells can lead to various changes and provoke signs of prostate cancer in men.
It should be noted: the presence of certain factors does not necessarily lead to prostate cancer, it only increases the risk of developing this disease.
Signs of prostate cancer in men
This is a very insidious type of cancer, as it can develop asymptomatically for a long time. In other words, a person may not even suspect about his illness. At the same time, precious time is running out, and there is less chance of recovery.
Gradual tumor growth leads to the appearance of the following symptoms:
- frequent urination (especially acutely men feel this at night);
- obstructed urine outflow - the urine stream can be weak and intermittent;
- often there is a feeling of incomplete emptying of the bladder;
- burning during urination (it may not go away for some time after going to the toilet);
- unpleasant sensations and pulling pains in the groin area - patients note pulling pains, while there are practically no sharp pains;
- severe pain is observed during rectal examination, that is, with direct pressure on the prostate gland;
- constipation and pain during bowel movements;
- decrease (or complete absence) of potency;
- the presence of a small amount of blood in urine or sperm (usually appears much later than other symptoms);
- deterioration in the general condition of a person.
Many men do not rush to the clinic, noticing the first signs of the disease. This is mainly explained by the fact that in the early stages of prostate cancer development, the symptoms are very similar to those of other diseases (for example, prostatitis and prostate adenoma). However, constant pain and hematuria (blood in the urine) are irrefutable evidence that there are malignant cells in the male body.
The disease is accompanied by a sharp deterioration in the general condition of a person. Among the most common symptoms:
- sudden weight loss;
- drowsiness;
- extremely fatigue;
- complete lack of appetite;
- absolute apathy.
Stage I prostate cancer
The main thing that distinguishes this stage from the subsequent ones is the tumor, which is small in size and localized only in the surface layer of the prostate. Deeper organ tissues are not yet involved in the process. Being at this stage, prostate cancer may not develop at all for a long time.
This period is accompanied by a relatively good state of health of the cancer patient and the absence of characteristic symptoms. Contacting the clinic at this stage allows you to make good predictions, because it is precisely at stage I that prostate carcinoma is treated as quickly and efficiently as possible. Another thing is that it is extremely difficult to identify the disease during this period.
II stage
The tumor significantly increases in size and penetrates into the deeper layers of the prostate gland. The structure of the tumor is twisted cells and small-sized nodes.
It is at this stage that the man begins to feel the first symptoms of prostate cancer. Malignant formation at this stage can already be diagnosed by instrumental methods. Treatment begun at this time in 80% of cases gives a positive result. That is why doctors recommend a thorough examination every year, especially for men who have crossed the 40-year-old age threshold.
III stage
In stage III, an even larger increase in the tumor occurs. Moreover, if before this carcinoma developed only in the tissues of the prostate, now it already affects the lymph nodes (usually in the groin area). This suggests that near metastases appeared.
Another option for the development of the disease is metastasis to closely located pelvic organs, including the bladder, rectum. A correctly selected treatment complex gives good results - with prostate cancer, patients' life expectancy of more than 5 years can be achieved in 40% of cases.
IV
This stage is considered the last. At this stage, the patient's condition deteriorates sharply: cancer patients note the presence of persistent pain, from which conventional analgesics do not save.
Stage IV prostate cancer is accompanied by the spread of malignant cells to many internal organs (liver, intestines) or to the bones. The entire lymphatic system is affected. However, at this stage, complex treatment gives positive results. The survival rate is 25%.
Diagnostic Methods
The effectiveness of the treatment of any oncology largely depends on the accuracy of the diagnosis and the correctness of the selected course of therapy. For this reason, the doctor should collect the maximum data on the disease. This is done in several stages of prostate cancer diagnosis.
- Primary reception. At the first appointment, the doctor examines the patientโs medical records, asks about the symptoms, their intensity and duration, learns general data about the life of a large person (to identify possible risk factors).
- Rectal palpation. During this procedure, the doctor feels the prostate gland through the anus. This allows you to judge the size and structure of the body.
- Submission of general analyzes. Among them are blood and urine tests. Of course, they do not give information about the nature of the disease, but they signal the presence of pathological processes in the body.
- Ultrasound with a rectal probe. Based on the results, it will be possible to judge the size of the prostate and the presence of a tumor.
- Biopsy. Using a special tool, a sample of tumor tissue is taken. After histological examination, the benign or malignant nature of the neoplasm is determined.
- CT scan. Thanks to this examination, doctors receive information about the location of the tumor and the presence of metastases in prostate cancer.
Surgical treatment
Surgical treatment of prostate cancer is a surgical operation in which a malignant tumor and a small area of โโtissue around it are removed. After removal of prostate cancer, the risk of oncology re-development (relapse) is reduced.
Despite the fact that now there are gentle methods of treatment that do not require organ removal, surgery for prostate cancer is still considered one of the most effective measures in the fight against oncology.
There are contraindications for the operation. It:
- the age of the patient is from 75 years;
- the presence of certain concomitant diseases;
- severe general condition of a person;
- the presence of metastases.
Radiation therapy
During such treatment for prostate cancer, the human body is exposed to radiation, it affects malignant cells and destroys their structure. Due to this, the tumor loses its ability to further growth and development.
The difficulty is that radiation negatively affects healthy tissues (albeit in a much smaller volume), which causes severe side effects. To reduce the negative consequences, in recent years, doctors began to use a more progressive method - brachytherapy. According to this technique, small grains with radioactive isotopes are introduced into the tissue of the prostate gland, which act locally (only on the tumor itself). Most often, radiation therapy for prostate cancer is prescribed in combination with other treatment methods.
Chemotherapy
The essence of this treatment method is to use the strongest drugs. These medicines negatively affect the malignant tumor, and therefore its growth is sharply reduced, and the cells lose their ability to further development.
They take medicine courses, and the introduction of drugs is carried out intravenously. The doctor carries out the selection of funds individually.
This approach entails numerous side effects, including poor health, weakness, nausea, lack of appetite, excessive hair loss and much more. A high result is achieved by combining chemotherapy, surgery, radiation therapy and other methods of treating prostate cancer.
Cryosurgery
In the list of modern methods of combating prostate carcinoma, cryosurgery is also distinguished. This method involves exposure to cancer cells at low temperatures. Such freezing destroys the internal structure of cancer cells and neutralizes them.
The advantages of this method is a gentle approach. In other words, the prostate gland is not removed, as during a surgical operation, but only the neoplasm is destroyed. As an independent treatment, cryosurgery is rarely prescribed, more often compatible with other treatment options.
Forecasts
Despite the danger of prostate carcinoma, even this disease is effectively treated with advanced medicine. However, the prognosis depends on the patient. The sooner oncology is diagnosed, the greater the chance of a positive treatment outcome. So, if at the first stage of the disease in 99% of cases there is a chance for a complete cure, then by stage 4 it decreases to 25%.
For the effectiveness of treatment, it is extremely important to provide the patient with a varied diet, including fish, poultry, a significant amount of vegetables, fruits and various cereals. The diet should also include freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices.
Another extremely important component is a positive attitude. Both medical staff and relatives should provide the cancer patient with maximum care and participation.