Prostate Cancer is one of the most common cancers after skin cancer. As per the official reports, In the year 2022, The United States of America might see 268,490 new cases of Prostate cancer and about 34,500 deaths at the same time. This situation is alarming, and one out of every eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime. The American Cancer Society has also indicated that the prostate cancer rate is very high in men aged above 65. If you are above age 65, You have 600% more chances of getting prostate cancer.
When the cell of the prostate Gland starts to grow out of control, Prostate cancer begins with that. The prostate is below the bladder, where males store the urine. The size of the prostate changes in all males as they start to get old. In teenage, a male has a prostate a size of a walnut, but in older men, it could be much larger
Types of Prostate Cancer
As per the American Cancer Society, old types of prostate cancers are added to adenocarcinomas. These types of cancers develop from the cells of the gland itself.
- Small cell carcinomas
- Neuroendocrine tumors
- Transitional cell carcinomas
- Sarcomas
These other types of prostate cancers are very rare to develop. Most people diagnosed with prostate cancer are likely to have adenocarcinomas.
Prostate Cancer: Causes
As per the American Cancer Society, it is not clear which exact factor can cause prostate cancer in men. There are a few similarities in all the patients which we consider as the cause. Let’s take a look at a few of them.
Age
99.9% of prostate cancer is found in men older than age 60. We are safe to judge that age impacts the prostate gland of a man and changes the functioning of cells at this start to grow abnormally. Prostate cancer is very hard to find for men of younger age, such as below 40.
Smoking and overweight
Most of the men with prostate cancer were found to be either smoking or overweight. Studies recently included smoking and being overweight as a cause of prostate cancer in men over the age of 40. As per a few studies, heavy smokers have 100% more chances to get prostate cancer.
Ethnicity
As per the American Cancer Society, African American men have the highest number of cases of prostate cancer. One out of every six African American men can get cancer at an older age which is way higher than when we talk about men of white ethnicity.
In some cases, African American men got prostate cancer at an earlier stage which is below 40. Other than the development of prostate cancer, the rapid speed and spread of that tumor are also very high.
Family history
If you have anyone in your family, especially blood-related, who has prostate cancer, it is very likely that you will get also it. Other than ethnicity, family history also plays a vital role in prostate cancer. If your father has prostate cancer, you have 66% chances that you will also get it.
Prostate cancer symptoms
Just like other cancers, prostate cancer is also very hard to show any symptoms at its early stage. in some cases, it might not even show any symptoms. Here are a few recorded symptoms. Let’s talk about them.
Urinary problems
Because prostate cancer grows in the prostate so if you have any urinary problems, you should consult with your healthcare provider or doctor. People with a urine infection, blood in urine, being or burning might grow prostate cancer.
Pain in the lower pelvic area
One of the most common symptoms of prostate cancer after urinary problems is pain in the pelvic area. In many cases, people who got prostate cancer also had pain in the lower pelvic area. Kindly do not ignore it if you have any pain.
Other than the lower pelvic area, there were some cases in which people reported pain in their lower back hips, and thighs as well.
Painful Ejaculation
In most of the cases where men got prostate cancer, they were also feeling pain while Ejaculation. It is also a very common symptom because semen travels through the prostate gland.
Loss of weight and Appetite
In many cases, loss of weight and appetite at the same time was another cause of prostate cancer, but it could be due to other aspects also. With just one symptom, kindly do not come to the conclusion that you might have prostate cancer. It is very important for you to get tested.
Prostate Cancer: Test
I know prostate cancer or any other type of cancer is very bad, but whenever you feel like you have any symptoms and should get tested, there are some different types of diagnosis. Let’s talk about them.
- Screening for prostate cancer is very common when people who do not have any symptoms go the testing. Prostate-specific antigen blood tests and digital rectal examinations are two different tests in screening.
- A prostate-specific antigen blood test is the first way to screen for cancer. This blood test measures the PSA levels. Prostate and prostate cancer can make the PSA protein.
- The digital rectal examination helps your doctor find any prostate cancer-related problems.
Prostate Cancer: Treatment
Let’s talk about the treatment of prostate cancer. As per many doctors, because prostate cancer starts growing at age 60 or above, treatment might not be needed because of its slow growth.
But in case the cancer is growing faster and is life-threatening so treatment becomes necessary. It is usually a good idea to talk to your doctor about what kind of treatment you should get.
Your treatment plan depends on several factors. A professional doctor is the best choice. Let’s talk about a few factors on which your treatment plan depends.
- The first thing doctors do is the stage at the grade of cancer, which is also known as the Gleason score and TNM stage.
- The second thing is how risky your cancer is. Because sometimes the cancer is not risky, doctors try to avoid doing any treatment.
- Because every cancer treatment is going to have some side effects and long-term effects, it all depends on your goals and preferences.
There are a few treatment options and every treatment has different side effects and long-term effects on your health.
- Surgery for prostate cancer.
- Radiation therapy for prostate cancer.
- Chemotherapy for prostate cancer.
- Hormone therapy for prostate cancer.
- Cryotherapy for prostate cancer.
- Targeted therapy for prostate cancer.
- Spread out to bone treatment for prostate cancer.
As you know that each treatment has different side effects, so it will be better if you talk about it with your doctor first.
Final thoughts
Any cancer is for the person who got it as well as the family of that person. Because cancer of any kind is deadly, and As per the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the deadliest after lung cancer.
If you are above 40 and you belong to an African American ethnicity, you should get tested for prostate cancer. And other Men of age above 60 Should keep it in check. There are many different types of treatment for prostate cancer, and you can select one depending on the pros and cons.
I am in my 20s. Can I have prostate cancer?
Yes, even in their 20s, men can have prostate cancer but chances are very slim. As per the American Cancer Society, men under age 40 are less likely to get Prostate cancer. The average age for prostate cancer in men is about 66.
How common is prostate cancer in The United States of America?
As per the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in American men other than skin cancer. The Cancer Society has estimated that the United States of America might see 268,490 new cases of prostate cancer in American men. And there could be around 34,500 deaths in the year 2022 alone.
How deadly is prostate cancer?
According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the second deadliest cancer, and about one man in 44 will die of prostate cancer.
I am a 50 years old female. Can I have prostate cancer?
No, females of any age cannot grow prostate cancer because females do not have prostate glands where the cancer cells grow. The prostate gland is only found in male humans, so females are completely safe, and they cannot grow prostate cancer at any age.