Prostate Cancer Signs

2 Responses to “Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia.?”

1. A J A Y Says:
   September 11th, 2009 at 1:37 am

   Prostate cancer is cancer of the small walnut-shaped gland in males that produces seminal fluid, the fluid that nourishes and transports sperm. Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in men, affecting about one in six men in the United States. A diagnosis of prostate cancer can be scary not only because it can be life-threatening, but also because treatments can cause side effects such as bladder control problems and erectile dysfunction (impotence). But diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer have gotten much better in recent years.

   Prostate cancer usually grows slowly and initially remains confined to the prostate gland, where it may not cause serious harm. While some types of prostate cancer grow slowly and may need minimal or no treatment, other types are aggressive and can spread quickly. If prostate cancer is detected early — when it’s still confined to the prostate gland — you have a better chance of successful treatment.

   There’s more than one way to treat prostate cancer. For some men a combination of treatments — such as surgery followed by radiation or radiation paired with hormone therapy — works best. The treatment that’s best for each man depends on several factors. These include how fast your cancer is growing, how much it has spread, your age and life expectancy, as well as the benefits and the potential side effects of the treatment. The most common treatments for prostate cancer include the following:

   External beam radiation therapy (EBRT)
   External beam radiation treatment uses high-powered X-rays to kill cancer cells. This type of radiation is effective at destroying cancerous cells, but it can also scar adjacent healthy tissue.

   The first step in radiation therapy is to map the precise area of your body that needs to receive radiation. Computer-imaging software helps your doctor find the best angles to aim the beams of radiation. Precisely focused radiation kills cancer in your prostate while minimizing harm to surrounding tissue.

   Treatments are generally given five days a week for about eight weeks. Each treatment appointment takes about 10 minutes. However, much of this is preparation time — radiation is received for only about one minute. You don’t need anesthesia with external beam radiation, because the treatment isn’t painful.

   You’ll be asked to arrive for therapy with a full bladder. This will push most of your bladder out of the path of the radiation beam. A body supporter holds you in the same position for each treatment. Ink marks on your skin help guide the radiation beam, and small gold markers may be placed in your prostate to ensure the radiation hits the same targets each time. Custom-designed shields help protect nearby normal tissue, such as your bladder, erectile tissues, anus and rectal wall.

   EBRT can cause mild side effects, but in most cases they disappear shortly after your course of treatment is finished.

   Side effects of EBRT can include:

   Urinary problems. The most common signs and symptoms are urgency to urinate and frequent urination. These problems usually are temporary and gradually diminish in a few weeks after completing treatment. Long-term problems are uncommon.
   Loose stools, rectal bleeding, discomfort during bowel movements or a sense of needing to have a bowel movement (rectal urgency). In some cases these problems persist for months after treatment, but they improve on their own in most men. If you do have long-term rectal symptoms, medications can help. Rarely, men develop persistent bleeding or a rectal ulcer after radiation. Surgery may be necessary to alleviate these problems.
   Sexual side effects. Radiation therapy doesn’t usually cause immediate sexual side effects such as erectile dysfunction, but some men who’ve had the treatment have sexual problems later in life.
   Radioactive seed implants
   Radioactive seeds implanted into the prostate have gained popularity in recent years as a treatment for prostate cancer. The implants, also known as brachytherapy, deliver a higher dose of radiation than do external beams, but over a substantially longer period of time. The therapy is generally used in men with smaller or moderate-sized prostates with small and lower grade cancers.

   During the procedure, between 40 and 100 rice-sized radioactive seeds are placed in your prostate through ultrasound-guided needles. The implant procedure typically lasts one to two hours and is done under general anesthesia — which means you won’t be awake. Most men can go home the day of the procedure. Sometimes, hormone therapy is used for a few months to shrink the size of the prostate before seeds are implanted. The seeds may contain one of several radioactive isotopes — including iodine and palladium. These seeds don’t have to be removed after they stop emitting radiation. Iodine and palladium seeds generally emit radiation that extends only a few millimeters beyond their location. This type of radiation i
   References :

2. Denisedds Says:
   September 11th, 2009 at 2:26 am

   All of that and still no answer to your question!

   You are very young to have BPH so I understand your concern. Prostate cancer in older men do far better than younger men and young in prostate cancer terms is under 55. I’m sorry I don’t have a resource to send you to. I am answering based on my experience dealing with cancer cases everyday and having an ex-husband who is a urologist. It doesn’t hurt to be tested periodically so I would do it, but I wouldn’t spend time worrying about it either. You may want to consider clinical trials for young men with BPH. This way you will be followed closely by doctors who are very interested in prostate cancer and are researching it. This way if you should get it, especially if you are young, it gives you the best chance of overcoming it.

   http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/
   References :
   I am a cancer registrar.

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