Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer occurs in the male prostate gland, which helps produce seminal fluid that transports sperm. It tends to develop slowly, so it often comes with no symptoms for many years. Some types of prostate cancer require minimal or no treatment, while others can develop more aggressively and spread quickly.
Prostate cancer symptoms
Often, prostate cancer symptoms will not appear until the cancer is large enough to affect the urine-carrying tube (from the bladder out of the urethra); when this occurs, you might notice:
- Often urge to urinate
- Straining during urination
- Feeling that the bladder is not empty
Kindly don’t ignore the symptoms; at the same time, they don’t indicate that you indeed have prostate cancer. Consult a doctor for any signs to ensure.
Prostate cancer causes
The primary cause of prostate cancer is largely unknown, but some factors can increase your chances of developing the condition.
- Getting old since people who are diagnosed with prostate cancer are men who are 50 or older.
- For some unknown reasons, prostate cancer is more common among black men and less common among Asian men.
- If prostate cancer runs in the family.
- Recent studies also suggest that obesity can also increase the risks of prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer treatments
At certain times, prostate cancer may not need any treatments. When the cancer is at the early stages with no symptoms, your doctor might suggest “active surveillance” or watchful waiting.” In some cases, there are chances to cure prostate cancer; those treatments include:
- Surgery to remove the prostate
- Radiotherapy
Curing prostate cancer is very low or impossible if cancer spreads to other body parts; during these situations, the treatment focuses on relieving symptoms and prolonging the life span. All treatments can carry significant side effects.
Reviewed by – Dr. Priyanka, MBBS MD Microbiology
Page last reviewed: 16 JULY 2022