One of the most common types of cancer found in males is prostate cancer. Cancer that begins in the prostate gland is called prostate cancer. In males, the prostate is a small walnut-shaped gland that produces seminal fluid, which nourishes and transports sperm. Many prostate cancers grow slowly and are limited to the prostate gland, where they may not cause significant harm. While some kinds of prostate cancer develop slowly and require little or no therapy, others spread swiftly.

What Causes Prostate Cancer?

With our current medical technology, it is unknown what are the exact causes of prostate cancer. Prostate cancer develops when cells in the prostate develop changes in their DNA, according to doctors. The instructions that inform a cell what to do are stored in the DNA of a cell. The modifications instruct the cells to grow and divide at a faster rate than normal cells. When other cells would die, the abnormal cells would continue to live. The accumulating abnormal cells form a tumor, which can spread and infiltrate nearby tissue. Some abnormal cells may break away and spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body over time.

What Are The Complications Of Prostate Cancer?

– Spreading cancer (metastasizes): Prostate cancer can spread to neighboring organs, such as the urinary bladder, or move to the bones or other organs through the bloodstream or lymphatic system. Prostate cancer that has spread to the bones can cause pain and shattered bones. Prostate cancer can still react to therapy and be managed if it has spread to other parts of the body, but it is unlikely to be cured.

– Incontinence: Urinary incontinence can be caused by prostate cancer and its treatment. The kind, severity, and likelihood of improvement over time all influence incontinence treatment. Medication, catheters, and surgery are all options for treatment.

– Erectile dysfunction: It is a term used to describe a condition in which Prostate cancer and its treatment, such as surgery, radiation, or hormone therapy, can cause erectile dysfunction. Erectile dysfunction can be treated with medications, vacuum devices that aid in erection, and surgery.

What Are The Symptoms Of Prostate Cancer?

For 76% of all the types of cancer types, the symptoms appear only when the condition advances to a serious stage hence is the case with Prostate Cancer.

Advanced prostate cancer has the following signs and symptoms:

– Urination problems

– Reduced force in the urine stream

– Urine with blood

– Semen with blood

– Bone ache

– Weight loss without effort

–  Erectile dysfunction (ED – A male sexual dysfunction disorder)

Treatment Methods Of Prostate Cancer

Treatment choices for prostate cancer are determined by a variety of criteria, including the rate at which the disease is developing, whether it has spread, and the general health of the person affected, as well as the treatment’s possible advantages and adverse effects.

Prostate cancer with a low grade may not require immediate treatment. Some people may never require therapy. Rather, active surveillance is occasionally recommended by doctors. Regular follow-up blood tests, rectal examinations, and prostate biopsies may be performed during active surveillance to evaluate the course of cancer. One may choose a prostate cancer therapy such as surgery or radiation if testing reveals that the cancer is advancing. For cancer that isn’t causing symptoms, is projected to develop slowly and is restricted to a small region of the prostate, active surveillance may be an option. Someone who has another major health condition or is of advanced age, which makes cancer therapy more difficult, may benefit from active monitoring. The most commonly used modes of treatment are:

– Surgical Removal: The prostate gland, some surrounding tissue, and a few lymph nodes are removed during prostate cancer surgery (radical prostatectomy).

– Radiotherapy: To eliminate cancer cells, radiation treatment employs high-powered energy. Radiation from outside the body (external beam radiation) or radiation delivered within the body (internal beam radiation) are two forms of prostate cancer radiation therapy treatments (brachytherapy)

– Freezing Or Heating Prostate: Alternative treatments use cold or heat to kill prostate tissue. Freezing prostate tissue or heating prostate tissue are two options. When surgery isn’t an option for treating extremely tiny prostate malignancies, several therapies may be explored. They may also be used to treat advanced prostate tumors that have failed to respond to conventional therapies, such as radiation therapy.

– Hormone Therapy: Hormone therapy is a method of preventing the male hormone testosterone from being produced by the body. Prostate cancer cells cannot multiply without testosterone. If cancer cells’ testosterone power is interrupted, they may die or grow more slowly.

– Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is a treatment that employs medications to eliminate cells that are quickly developing, such as cancer cells. Chemotherapy can be given by a vein in the arm, as a tablet, or a combination of both. Prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of the body may benefit from chemotherapy treatment. For malignancies that don’t respond to hormone treatment, chemotherapy may be an alternative.

– Immunotherapy: Immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that makes use of the body’s immune system. Because cancer cells create proteins that assist them to hide from immune system cells, the body’s disease-fighting immune system may not attack cancer. The principle of immunotherapy is the modification of the natural functions of the immune system.

Modes Of Prevention

– Eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to maintain a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Many vitamins and minerals are found in fruits and vegetables, which can benefit one’s health. The possibility of preventing prostate cancer with nutrition has yet to be shown clearly. However, eating a well-balanced diet that includes a range of fruits and vegetables can help to enhance general health.

– Choose healthy foods over supplements as supplements have not been proven to reduce the risk of prostate cancer in trials. Instead, eat foods that are high in vitamins and minerals to keep vitamin levels balanced in the body.

– Exercise most days of the week. Exercise benefits one’s general health, helps in maintaining a healthy weight. Make an effort to exercise daily. If someone is a beginner in the world of exercising, start easy and gradually increase the exercise time.

– Keep a healthy body weight. If one’s body mass is healthy, they should work to keep it that way by working out and eating often. If one needs to lose weight, this can be achieved by increasing physical activity and reducing daily calorie consumption.