What is the prostate?

The prostate is part of a man’s sex organs. It’s about the size of a walnut and surrounds the tube called the urethra, located just below the bladder. The urethra has two jobs: to carry urine from the bladder when you urinate and to carry semen during a sexual climax, or ejaculation. Semen is a combination of sperm plus fluid that the prostate adds.

Article Source:http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/prostate_ez/#What

What are prostate problems?

For men under 50, the most common prostate problem is prostatitis. For men over 50, the most common prostate problem is prostate enlargement. This condition is also called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Older men are at risk for prostate cancer as well, but this disease is much less common than BPH. More information about prostate cancer is available from the National Cancer Institute

Article Source:http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/prostate_ez/#What

What is prostatitis?

Prostatitis means the prostate might be inflamed or irritated. If you have prostatitis, you may have a burning feeling when you urinate, or you may have to urinate more often. Or you may have a fever or just feel tired. Inflammation in any part of the body is usually a sign that the body is fighting germs or repairing an injury. Some kinds of prostatitis are caused by bacteria, tiny organisms that can cause infection or disease. If you have bacterial prostatitis, your doctor can look through a microscope and find bacteria in a sample of your urine. Your doctor can then give you an antibiotic, a medicine that kills bacteria. Most of the time, doctors don’t find any bacteria in men with prostatitis. If you have urinary problems, the doctor will look for other possible causes, such as a kidney stone or cancer. If no other causes are found, the doctor may decide you have a condition called nonbacterial prostatitis. You may have to work with your doctor to find a treatment that’s right for you. Changing your diet or taking warm baths may help. Your doctor may give you a medicine called an alpha-blocker to relax the muscle tissue in the prostate. No single solution works for everyone with this condition.

Article Source:http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/prostate_ez/#What

What is prostate enlargement, or BPH?

If you’re a man over 50 and have started having problems urinating, the reason could be an enlarged prostate, or BPH. As men get older, their prostate keeps growing. As it grows, it squeezes the urethra. Since urine travels from the bladder through the urethra, the pressure from the enlarged prostate may affect bladder control. If you have BPH, you may have one or more of these problems: A frequent and urgent need to urinate. You may get up several times a night to go to the bathroom Trouble starting a urine stream. Even though you feel you have to rush to get to the bathroom, you find it hard to start urinating. A weak stream of urine A small amount of urine each time you go The feeling that you still have to go, even when you have just finished urinating Leaking or dribbling urine Small amounts of blood in your urine

Article Source:http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/prostate_ez/#What

How the prostate works?

Not all of the prostate's functions are known. However, one of its main roles is to provide part of the fluid necessary for ejaculation. This milky-white fluid in semen provides nutrients to the sperm so that they can survive long enough to fertilize an ovum. The prostate is not part of the urinary system, but because it surrounds the urethra and sits directly below the bladder, it can cause urinary problems. That's why your primary doctor will often refer you to a urologist, a physician who specializes in the urinary system and male reproductive system, to see when you are experiencing prostate problems or prostate disease symptoms.

Article Source:http://www.prostatedisease.org/about_prostate/how_it_works.aspx

Symptoms Of Prostate Disease

■Frequent urination ■Weak urine stream ■Difficulty starting urination ■Burning sensation with urination ■Incomplete emptying of the bladder ■Blood or pus in the urine ■Loss of erection ■Blood in semen ■Burning with ejaculation ■Low back pain ■Discolored semen ■Interrupted urine stream ■Frequent sensation of having a full bladder ■OR NO SYMPTOMS AT ALL

Article Source: http://www.hooah4health.com/prevention/mhealth/symptomsprostate.htm

What Every Man Should Know

Q. Who Gets Prostate Cancer? A. Possible risk factors for men: age (including being over 50); having a family history of the disease, and/or being African American. There is no known cause of prostate cancer, so a man's best defence against it is annual prostate exams to aid in early detection of the disease. Q. What Are Its Symptoms? A. Symptoms can include frequent urination; difficulty starting urination; incomplete emptying of bladder; blood or pus in urine; blood in semen; lower back pain; interrupted urine stream; weak urine stream, or no symptoms at all. Q. How Is It Detected? A. Step One: Prostate cancer is initially detected through the use of two tests: a digital rectal exam (DRE) and a prostate specific antigen or PSA blood test. During a DRE, a doctor inserts a lubricated gloved finger into the rectum and presses against the prostate gland to check for abnormalities. The PSA blood test is used to detect elevated levels of certain protein that may indicate cancer. Step Two: If the PSA and DRE tests are abnormal, follow up tests will be done. Transrectal ultrasound provides doctors with a three dimensional view of the prostate, so they can determine its size and location prior to biopsy. A needle biopsy is often performed in conjunction with a transrectal ultrasound. The surgeon samples small pieces of the prostate to determine whether BPH, prostatitis or cancer is present. Q. What Are The Options For Treatment? A. Prostate cancer is treated according to the state of the disease. Treatments could include, but are not limited to, surgery to remove all of the prostate gland, thereby removing the cancer; radiation therapy, which destroys the cancer cells; and therapy, which shrinks the size of the tumor and slows its growth. Q. How Successful Is Treatment? A. Prostate cancer is more easily treated and cured when detected early. If prostate cancer spreads beyond the prostate, the outlook is less favorable. Once the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes and other organs, there is no cure, only treatment of the disease. Q. What Are The Possible Side Effects of Treatment? A. The most serious side effects resulting from prostate surgery are impotence and incontinence (loss of bladder control). Impotence may result if the nerves to the penis, which are very close to the urethra, need to be removed during surgery. Incontinence may result if the prostate is removed, because the bladder may lose its ability to hold back urine. Q. Can I Protect Myself? A. Long-term clinical tests to find a method of prevention are now underway. But for now, two simple tests, a digital rectal exam (DRE) and a prostate specific antigen (PSA) performed on schedule can aid in the early detection of prostate cancer.. Guidelines For Prostate Screening: All men over the age of 50 should have an annual digital rectal exam (DRE) and a prostate specific antigen (PSA). Men with a family history of prostate cancer should check with their doctors about beginning annual exams at age 40.

Article Source: http://www.hooah4health.com/prevention/mhealth/symptomsprostate.htm

Prostate Function

The function of the prostate is to store and secrete a slightly alkaline (pH 7.29) fluid, milky or white in appearance,that usually constitutes 25-30% of the volume of the semen along with spermatozoa and seminal vesicle fluid. The alkalinity of semen helps neutralize the acidity of the vaginal tract, prolonging the lifespan of sperm. The alkalinization of semen is primarily accomplished through secretion from the seminal vesicles.The prostatic fluid is expelled in the first ejaculate fractions together with most of the spermatozoa. In comparison with the few spermatozoa expelled together with mainly seminal vesicular fluid those expelled in prostatic fluid have better motility, longer survival and better protection of the genetic material (DNA). The prostate also contains some smooth muscles that help expel semen during ejaculation. Another important prostate function is controlling the flow of urine during ejaculation. A complex system of valves in the prostate, sends the semen into the urethra during ejaculatory process and a prostate muscle called the sphincter seals the bladder, thereby preventing urine entry into the urethra.

Article Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostate

Prostate Development

The prostatic part of the urethra develops from the pelvic (middle) part of the urogenital sinus (endodermal origin). Endodermal outgrowths arise from the prostatic part of the urethra and grow into the surrounding mesenchyme. The glandular epithelium of the prostate differentiates from these endodermal cells, and the associated mesenchyme differentiates into the dense stroma and the smooth muscle of the prostate. The prostate glands represent the modified wall of the proximal portion of the male urethra and arises by the 9th week of embryonic life in the development of the reproductive system. Condensation of mesenchyme, urethra and Wolffian ducts gives rise to the adult prostate gland, a composite organ made up of several glandular and non-glandular components tightly fused within a common capsule.

Article Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostate

Female prostate gland

The Skene's gland, also known as the paraurethral gland, found in females, is homologous to the prostate gland in males. In 2002 the Skene's gland was officially renamed the prostate by the Federative International Committee on Anatomical Terminology. The female prostate, like the male prostate, secretes PSA and levels of this antigen rise in the presence of carcinoma of the gland. The gland also expels fluid, like the male prostate, during orgasm. Researchers argue that the organ should therefore be called a female prostate and not "Skene's gland".

Article Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostate

Prostate Structure

A healthy human prostate is classically said to be slightly larger than a walnut. In actuality, it is approximately the size of a kiwi fruit. It surrounds the urethra just below the urinary bladder and can be felt during a rectal exam. It is the only exocrine organ located in the midline in humans and similar animals. The ducts are lined with transitional epithelium. Within the prostate, the urethra coming from the bladder is called the prostatic urethra and merges with the two ejaculatory ducts. (The male urethra has two functions: to carry urine from the bladder during urination and to carry semen during ejaculation.) The prostate is sheathed in the muscles of the pelvic floor, which contract during the ejaculatory process. The prostate can be divided in two ways: by zone, or by lobe.

Article Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostate

What tests will my doctor order?

Several tests help the doctor identify the problem and decide on the best treatment. Digital rectal exam. This exam is usually the first test done. The doctor inserts a gloved finger into the rectum and feels the prostate, which sits directly in front of the rectum. This exam gives the doctor a general idea of the size and condition of the prostate. Blood test. The doctor may want to test a sample of your blood to look for prostate-specific antigen (PSA). If your PSA is high, it may be a sign that you have prostate cancer. But this test isn’t perfect. Many men with high PSA scores don’t have prostate cancer. Imaging. The doctor may want to get a picture of your prostate using either x rays or a sonogram. An intravenous pyelogram (IVP) is an x ray of the urinary tract. For an IVP, dye will be injected into a vein. Later, when the dye passes out of your blood into your urine, it will show up on the x ray. A rectal sonogram uses a probe, inserted into the rectum, to bounce sound waves off the prostate. Urine flow study. You may be asked to urinate into a special device that measures how quickly the urine is flowing. A reduced flow may mean you have BPH. Cystoscopy. Another way to see a problem from the inside is with a cystoscope, which is a thin tube with lenses like a microscope. The tube is inserted into the bladder through the urethra while the doctor looks through the cystoscope.

Article Source:http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/prostate_ez/#What

What are the side effects of prostate treatments?

Surgery for BPH may have a temporary effect on sexual function. Most men recover complete sexual function within a year after surgery. The exact length of time depends on how long you had symptoms before surgery was done and on the type of surgery. After TURP, some men find that semen does not go out of the penis during orgasm. Instead, it goes backwards into the bladder. In some cases, this condition can be treated with a drug that helps keep the bladder closed. A doctor who specializes in fertility problems may be able to help if backwards ejaculation causes a problem for a couple trying to get pregnant. If you have any problems after treatment for a prostate condition, talk with your doctor or nurse. Erection problems and loss of bladder control can be treated, and chances are good that you can be helped. If your prostate is removed completely to s cancer, you’re more likely to have long-lasting sexual and bladder control problems, such as leaking or dribbling. Your doctor may be able to use a technique that leaves the nerves around the prostate in place. This procedure makes it easier for you to regain bladder control and sexual function. Not all men can have this technique, but most men can be helped with other medical treatments.

Article Source:http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/prostate_ez/#What

Prostate Diseases

The prostate is a gland. It helps make semen, the fluid that contains sperm. The prostate surrounds the tube that carries urine away from the bladder and out of the body. A young man's prostate is about the size of a walnut. It slowly grows larger with age. If it gets too large, it can cause problems. This is very common after age 50. The older men get, the more likely they are to have prostate trouble. Some common problems are ■Prostatitis - an infection, usually caused by bacteria ■Benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH - an enlarged prostate, which may cause dribbling after urination or a need to go often, especially at night ■Prostate cancer - a common cancer that responds best to treatment when detected early

Article Source: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/prostatediseases.html

The Stages of Prostate Growth

At birth the prostate weights around 1.5 grams During puberty the prostate grows to around 11 grams In the early to middle 20’s the prostate grows to around 18 grams In the early 50’s there is a new growth phase which continues until around age 70 where the prostate usually reaches around 31 grams. This phase of growth is what doctors call benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Article Source: http://totalprostate.com/prostate_facts.php

Why Does the Prostate Grow?

There are conflicting theories as to why the prostate glands growth goes through these phases. The two theories are based on changes hormonal levels.

Article Source: http://totalprostate.com/prostate_facts.php

Prostate Health

The best protection against prostate problems and prostate disease is to have regular medical checkups that include a careful prostate exam. Men should also see a doctor promptly if symptoms occur such as: ·Frequent urination, especially at night ·Difficulty starting urination or holding back urine ·Dribbling of urine ·Inability to urinate ·Feeling that the bladder is not empty after urination ·Weak or interrupted urine stream ·Pain or burning during urination ·Painful ejaculation ·Blood in urine or semen ·Frequent pain in the lower back, hips, or ribs ·Weight loss During your routine doctor visit, there are a number of tests he or she might use to determine the health of your prostate. The most common procedures are the Digital Rectal Exam (DRE) and the Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test. Digital Rectal Exam (DRE) According to the American Cancer Society, men over the age of 50 with at least a 10-year life expectancy should receive annual prostate checkups, including a Digital Rectal Exam (DRE). During this exam, the doctor inserts a gloved and lubricated finger (digit) into the rectum to feel for any unusual features of the prostate, including hardness, bumps, or swelling. Although uncomfortable, the procedure is not usually painful. Article Source:http://www.prostatedisease.org/about_prostate/prostate_health.aspx   Does Prostate Massage Promote Prostate Health? The Drug Myth There is no laboratory chemical that ever healed anything. Yes they can kill bacteria and germs and viruses. But no laboratory chemical ever healed anything. If you've been on prostate medication for a length of time you've learned this the hard way. You are still not well. That's why you're reading this. You must understand this key point before you can ever expect to attain serious health: The body is self healing. It is the only thing that has ever healed anything and everything. All other "remedies" only are there to assist the body in it's functions. Most of them cause more harm than good. The healing is ALWAYS done by nature and fresh healthy blood. But, even if the blood is healthy, when it can not reach the prostate gland in sufficient quantity, the prostate can and will from a variety of diseases. That is why most modern men eventually need correct prostate massage. The Cause of Prostate Problems The cause of almost every (99%+) prostate problems is: Lack of blood flow and/or unhealthy blood. Too much sex can also cause all kinds of prostate problems and prostate pain. Get more healthy blood to the prostate gland and most prostate problems will disappear! Prostate massage greatly increases the flow of blood into the prostate gland more effectively than any other prostate treatment in existence. It is the absolute #1 aid in prostate healing. Prostate massage will help promote healing in: ■Prostatitis ■Prostate Pain ■Prostate Infection ■BPH ■Prostate Cancer ■Impotence ■Erectile Dysfunction Prostate massage is the best prostate treatment for virtually every malady of the prostate gland. The reason is: nothing else cleans and nourishes the prostate as effectively. Nothing. Modern lifestyle is the prime cause of all prostate problems. Constant sitting, incorrect deficient foods, and too much emphasis on constant sexual performance are the main factors in all prostate diseases. ALL prostate diseases. These things all poison and suffocate the cells in the prostate gland. This is what creates the diseases or the breeding ground for the bacteria that cause the disease. Poison your prostate enough and you'll create prostate cancer. It's no mystery. The First Step The first step in relieving problems caused by prostate congestion (poor blood flow) is always prostate massage. If you will get the blood flow moving, half the battle is done. Then, you will need to clean up your diet with a natural diet, get the extra nutrients you may need from prostate supplements, moderate your sex life, get some exercise (any kind you enjoy) and 99.9% of prostate problems will vanish. It doesn't matter what they are. Why It Works! The reason these steps are so effective is that the body was designed to be 100% healthy. But, in our "civilized" cultures we do so many unnatural things everyday that block the body's ability to function properly. Disease is always the result. Prostate massage should not be required for health. But, it counteracts a lot of the life suppressing things we all do each day, like sit far too much and move our bodies far too little. The prostate gland is probably the must vulnerable organ in the male body. That is why it is the number one cause of male health problems. The natural remedy of prostate massage seems far too simple. There are so many drugs with very long mysterious names that we can not even pronounce. Shouldn't those be better? No, those are designed to make money, not to create health. They may suppress symptoms, but they do not make you health. You must learn the difference if you are to be truly well. The reason prostate massage is the most effective way in helping relieve any prostate problem is that massage gets the blood moving through the prostate better than any other prostate treatment can. It's so simple that people can hardly believe it. They seem to believe difficult, expensive, mysterious things work better. Not true. The truth is: Prostate massage will do more good for most men than any other single prostate treatment. Article Source:http://www.prostate-massage-and-health.com/prostate-massage-and-prostate-health.html   Prostate Health Knowledge  If you don’t know what your prostate is or what it does, you’re certainly not alone: most men don’t. But you really should. More than 30 million men suffer from prostate conditions that negatively affect their quality of life. • Over 50% of men in their 60s and as many as 90% in their 70s or older have symptoms of an enlarged prostate (BPH). • Each year over 230,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and about 30,000 will die of it. • Prostatitis is an issue for men of all ages and affects 35% of men aged 50 and older. This website offers you a guide to the prostate and various conditions that can affect your health. 　 Article Source:http://www.prostatehealthguide.com/   The Key to Long-Term Prostate Health Just because we are alive and our hearts are beating we assume our blood is moving as it should. Each year thousands of men are treated for inflamed prostates, in most cases those cases of prostatitis could have been prevented with the help of supplements for prostate health. The key to long-term prostate health is dietary prevention, fitness and early diagnosis. Over 90% of All Men Will Develop an Enlarged Prostate or Some Type of Prostate Problem During Their Lifetime. Most prostate problems such as prostate infection, BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia) and Prostatitis are caused by an enlarged prostate. As you age, the likelihood of facing the problem of a swollen or enlarged prostate gland increases yearly. In fact, the chance of this happening to you is more than 90%. For men, an Enlarging Prostate (EP) is difficult to talk about. Although changes in prostate health are indefinitely part of every man's life, the signs and symptoms that are associated with this condition often prove too embarrassing for most men to even mention. Prostate enlargement is also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH. It remains one of the most prevalent problems for men over the age of 60. Moreover, 90% of all men will experience at least some signs and symptoms by age 80. Prostate health is something that should be treated with a balanced diet your whole life. Prostate cancer is VERY serious and will kill you if not diagnosed early and treated. Prostate health is a concern for every man seeing half the male population over 50 and more than half of men over 80 show signs of an enlarged prostate. Support prostate health with a healthier diet, regular exercise and nutritional supplements. Prostate health is essential for lifelong sexual pleasure and function. The good news is that there are dietary and lifestyle factors that may reduce the occurrence and severity of benign prostatic hyperplasia. On the other hand, dietary prevention is recognized as the changes in food consumption patterns necessary to decrease cancer development. Prostate health is extremely important, as prostate cancer and other related medical conditions are common among men. Promoting prostate health early through natural medicine can maintain a healthy prostate and avert surgery or pharmaceutical therapies with heavy side effects. prostate health is one of the most important concerns for men, and each man should have a yearly check of their prostate health after a certain age. Natural prostate health is the best choice that many men are making today to ensure their health, since natural health is about taking care of your body as a whole. Prostate health is one of the health problems in advanced societies, which should be considered a serious problem, because it can easily advance to prostrate cancer. In our society it is very common for men over 40 to start experiencing prostate problem. Prostate health is best maintained by healthy lifestyle and dietary choices including essential fatty acids, required for proper cell membrane function. Vitamins and minerals, the cofactors required for every biochemical process taking place in the human body, are also critical for prostate health. Article Source: http://totalprostate.com/   Prostate Health: Time to test your prostate? 'At present the one certainty about PSA testing is that it causes harm.' That quote comes from a British Medical Journal editorial published almost three years ago. And yet some doctors and many men still consider the prostate specific antigen test to be a reliable predictor of prostate cancer. Dr. Chris Hiley of the UK Prostate Cancer Charity recently told BBC News that further research is needed to 'definitively assess the value of the PSA test.' Let's put that another way, and be very clear so that every man understands what's at stake: A PSA test should not be used as a basis to proceed with invasive procedures that often do more harm than good. Prostate Health: Common prostate test detects other conditions PSA is a protein that's naturally produced by the prostate gland. Prostate tumours typically cause an over-production of PSA, so when a blood test reveals an elevated level of the protein, it's a red flag that warns of possible cancer. And if elevated PSA were ONLY caused by cancer, then we'd be talking about a truly reliable test. The problem: PSA levels also raise when the prostate becomes infected or when a benign enlargement occurs. A new study from the Yale School of Medicine in the US, underlines the folly of assuming that the PSA test is anything close to a gold standard for prostate cancer detection. As reported in the most recent issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, Yale researchers compared the medical records of about 1,000 subjects; half the men had been diagnosed with prostate cancer and died between 1991 and 1999, and half were men of the same age, chosen at random. After researchers analysed cases in which subjects had undergone PSA testing and/or digital rectal exam (DRE), they reported that 'a benefit for screening was not found' in PSA testing and all-cause mortality. Even more surprising, when PSA tests were combined with DREs, the results were actually worse. Prostate Health: PSA test results can vary. Get tested twice! The Yale researchers concluded that the results of their study 'do not suggest that screening with PSA or DRE is effective in reducing mortality.' So are these tried and 'true' methods of checking for prostate cancer worthless? Not at all. But like any tools, their value depends on how they're used. US healthcare pioneer Dr. William Campbell Douglass, II, has referred to PSA tests and their follow up biopsies as 'the mainstream's slash-and-burn approach to prostate cancer.' But the slashing and burning isn't caused by the test; it's caused by doctors who react inappropriately to the test. When PSA is elevated, many doctors recommend a biopsy of the prostate; a painful procedure that can result in bleeding and infection. But evidence shows that a great number of these biopsies are completely unnecessary. In the e-alert The low down on prostate cancer screening (10/3/04) I told you about a Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center study in which researchers tested the reliability of a single PSA result. Over a 4-year period, five blood samples were collected from nearly 1,000 men over the age of 60. More than 20 percent of the subjects were found to have PSA levels that would have prompted many doctors to recommend a biopsy. But half of those men had follow-up tests with normal PSA levels. The Sloan-Kettering conclusion: A single test that shows an elevated PSA level should be followed with additional screenings to monitor PSA fluctuation. This research backs up another study in which doctors at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center estimated that PSA screening resulted in an over-diagnosis rate of more than 40 percent. Men take note: Never trust a single PSA test, and never EVER allow a doctor to perform a biopsy based on a single test. Article Source:http://www.thehealthierlife.co.uk/natural-health-articles/mens-health/psa-test-advice-00490.html

2010 Annual Report on Prostate Diseases

Prostate disorders usually develop after age 50, but some men experience them at a younger age. The three most common conditions are prostatitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and prostate cancer. Although they share some of the same symptoms, they are very different. Treatments vary, too. For example, two men with prostate cancer might opt for treatments as divergent as radical surgery and doing nothing at all. Even getting screened for prostate cancer, which seems like it would be a no-brainer, requires thoughtful consideration. That’s because most men usually feel compelled to undergo treatment if cancer is diagnosed, risking complications like impotence and incontinence that can undermine quality of life. Whether you are considering medication for BPH or erectile dysfunction, or debating between radiation therapy and surgery for prostate cancer, you need to review your options carefully. This report, which provides an objective assessment of the risks and benefits of various procedures, can help. More than a primer on the most common prostate conditions, this unique publication includes roundtable discussions with experts at the forefront of prostate cancer research; assessments of different therapies from Harvard Medical School doctors; interviews with patients about their treatment decisions; and the latest thinking on complementary therapies. It also includes helpful tips on managing and treating erectile dysfunction and impotence caused by prostate disease therapies. Prepared by the editors of Harvard Health Publications in consultation with Marc B. Garnick, M.D., Clinical Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, and Hematology/Oncology Division, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. 136 pages. (2010) A year of advances and breakthroughs in prostate disease What made news in 2009 Monitoring prostate health A look at the prostate and some tests you might need Prostate enlargement (benign prostatic hyperplasia) Getting this “going”—and “growing”—problem under control Inflammation of the prostate (prostatitis) Help for an all-too-common condition Prostate cancer What you need to know at every stage of the disease Erectile dysfunction and incontinence Some solutions to consider Complementary therapies for prostate disease What works — and what doesn’t Take charge of your condition Participate in a clinical trial or support group Resources Organizations and publications you can turn to for more information Glossary Definitions of medical terms used in this report Searching PubMed in five easy steps How to access the studies cited in this report PSA screening: What makes sense? Making decisions when questions remain Since its introduction in the late 1980s, the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test has been hailed as a way to detect prostate cancer in its earliest, most curable stage. It has been called one of the most important tests a man can have. So why are many experts now stepping back, and even discouraging the use of widespread PSA screening? The shift comes on the heels of a growing body of evidence that shows the benefits of PSA screening may not outweigh the potential harm of unnecessary treatment. PSA screening has always been somewhat controversial. That’s because PSA tests often alert doctors to the presence of cancer, but there is no precise way to determine, definitively, whether the cancers detected would have ever caused symptoms or harm during a man’s lifetime. One study estimated overdetection to rise with age, from 27% at age 55 to 56% by age 75. Despite this, to be on the safe side, most men with elevated PSA levels will opt for treatment, frequently suffering side effects such as incontinence and impotence. Increasingly, there are questions about the effectiveness of PSA screening for prostate cancer. Just how many lives are actually being saved? And is the emotional and physical toll on the millions of men who are being overdiagnosed and overtreated worth it? Two long-awaited studies—one conducted in the United States and the other in Europe—were supposed to help settle the debate over the value of PSA testing. Instead, the trials, published in The New England Journal of Medicine in March 2009, seemed to come to opposite conclusions. The Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial reported no survival benefit with PSA screening and digital rectal examination, but the European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (ERSPC) found a 20% reduction in prostate cancer deaths. The ERSPC study estimated that for every life saved, 48 men are treated and nearly 1,068 men are screened. Although experts are somewhat split on the value of PSA tests as a screening tool, there is widespread agreement on two major points: overdiagnosis and overtreatment rates are far too high, and there is an urgent need to refine PSA testing to be a more effective screening tool. The principal investigator of the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial and his colleagues wrote an editorial in The Journal of the American Medical Association in October 2009 that took a closer look at the issues. They pointed out that while the amount of prostate cancer diagnosed has risen dramatically since PSA testing began, there has not been a proportional decrease in the number of men with metastatic tumors. It appears screening may be detecting a disproportionate number of lower-risk cancers, while missing many of the most aggressive tumors, which may advance too rapidly to be found with periodic testing. The debate over the effectiveness of PSA screening has quickly filtered into the offices of general practitioners and urologists. On a daily basis, confused men are asking their doctors: “Should I have a PSA test or not?” To help men sort through the latest thoughts on PSA screening, the editors of Harvard Medical School’s 2010 Annual Report on Prostate Diseases invited three Harvard experts to participate in a roundtable discussion on screening. The panelists represent physicians on the front lines of the debate…

Article Source:http://www.health.harvard.edu/special_health_reports/Prostate_Disease.htm

What Can Go Wrong With the Prostate: Cancer, BPH, and Prostatitis

For most young men, the prostate falls into the category “obscure body parts” that includes the spleen—that is, it’s in there someplace, it probably does something useful, but it’s best dealt with on a need-to-know basis. Unfortunately, most men are going to need to know about the prostate sometime, because this little gland is the source of three of the major health problems that affect men: ■Prostate cancer, the most common major cancer in men ■Benign enlargement of the prostate (BPH, or benign prostatic hyperplasia), one of the most common benign tumors in men and a source of symptoms for most men as they age ■Prostatitis, painful inflammation of the prostate, the most common cause of urinary tract infections in men Worse, because there’s no “statute of limitations” on prostate problems, some men are unlucky enough to endure more than one of these disorders. For example, having BPH or prostatitis doesn’t mean a man won’t have further difficulty—either a return of symptoms or a new problem entirely, such as prostate cancer. When it comes to making the diagnosis of prostate cancer and planning treatment, the other prostate disorders must be considered, too. So it’s important that men know about all three problems—what they are, how they are treated, and their telltale symptoms. Fortunately, effective treatment and relief of symptoms is available for all three prostate disorders. Even prostate cancer, when caught early, is treatable—generally without causing loss of urinary control or sexual function. In fact, many prostate cancers may not need to be immediately treated and can be safety followed under a program of active surveillance. Clinical trials are ongoing to understand which cancers need to be treated aggressively with surgery or radiation, and which can be observed with deferred therapy or no therapy. For the first time ever, we are very close to understanding how to keep advanced cancer in check, perhaps even for years.

Article Source: http://www.pcf.org/site/c.leJRIROrEpH/b.5813303/k.CDC2/What_Can_Go_Wrong_With_the_Prostate_Cancer_BPH_and_Prostatitis.htm

Calcium consumption may up prostate cancer risk

Calcium consumption — even at relatively low levels and from non-dairy food sources such as soy, grains and green vegetables — may increase prostate cancer risk among Chinese men, according to a new study. The study has been published in Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. "Our results support the notion that calcium plays a risk in enhancing the role of prostate cancer development," said lead researcher Lesley M. Butler, Ph.D., assistant professor of epidemiology at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colo. "This study is the first to report an association at such low levels and among primarily non-dairy foods." Some studies conducted in North American and European populations have linked high consumption of dairy products to an increased risk of prostate cancer. A few studies have suggested that calcium in milk is the causative factor, however the evidence is not clear. In an Asian diet, non-dairy foods like tofu, grains and vegetables such as broccoli, kale and bok choy are the major contributors of calcium intake. Therefore, Butler and colleagues speculated that people who are exposed to those calcium-rich food sources in an Asian diet may also be at increased risk for prostate cancer. Using data from the Singapore Chinese Health Study, the researchers evaluated whether dietary calcium increased prostate cancer risk in a population of 27,293 Chinese men aged 45 to 74 years, with low dairy consumption. The study was restricted to men who belonged to two major dialect groups of Chinese people living in Singapore: the Hokkiens and the Cantonese. Participants completed a food frequency questionnaire to assess their diet over the past year. Of these men, 298 were diagnosed with incident prostate cancer. Butler and colleagues at Colorado State University, the National University of Singapore and the University of Minnesota assessed the participant''s diet at baseline. Since it is suggested that calcium is absorbed more so in smaller individuals, the researchers accounted for body mass index (BMI) in this Chinese population. Results showed a 25 percent increased risk of prostate cancer when comparing those who consumed, on average, 659 mg vs. 211 mg of total calcium a day, according to the study. Major food sources of calcium in this population consisted of: vegetables (19.3 percent), dairy (17.3 percent), grain products (14.7 percent), soyfoods (11.8 percent), fruit (7.3 percent) and fish (6.2 percent). However, the researchers stress that there was no positive association with prostate cancer risk and any one particular food source. Among men with less than average BMI (median BMI was 22.9 kg/m2), the researchers found a twofold increased risk of prostate cancer. "It was somewhat surprising that our finding was consistent with previous studies because nearly all of them were conducted among Western populations with diets relatively high in calcium and primarily from dairy food sources," Butler said.

Article Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life/health-fitness/health/Calcium-consumption-may-up-prostate-cancer-risk/articleshow/6002588.cms

Dog Sniffs Out Prostate Cancer in Small Study

TUESDAY, June 1 (HealthDay News) -- New research suggests that dogs can sniff out signs of prostate cancer in human urine, adding to the ongoing debate over the disease-detecting powers of man's best friend. Some scientists have questioned similar reports of dogs with such diagnostic powers in recent years, but the lead author of this latest study said the findings are promising and could lead to better cancer-sensing technology. "The dogs are certainly recognizing the odor of a molecule that is produced by cancer cells," said French researcher Jean-Nicolas Cornu, who works at Hospital Tenon in Paris. The problem, he said, is that "we do not know what this molecule is, and the dog cannot tell us." Still, the report could represent a significant development since cancer often goes undetected until it is too late to treat. The detection of prostate cancer has been particularly controversial. Some researchers think many patients are treated unnecessarily because existing tests of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) aren't accurate enough and fail to distinguish between dangerous and harmless cancers. Urine tests can turn up signs of prostate cancer, Cornu said, but miss some cases. Some types of molecules give a distinct odor to urine, "but today there is no means to screen odors from urine and separate them," he said, and no way to link them to cancer. Enter the dog, whose powers of smell are far greater than those of humans. For this study, two researchers spent a year training a Belgian Malinois shepherd, a breed already used to detect drugs and bombs. The dog was trained to differentiate between urine samples from men with prostate cancer and men without. Ultimately, researchers placed groups of five urine samples in front of the dog to see if it could identify the sole sample from a man with prostate cancer. The dog correctly classified 63 out of 66 specimens. If the findings hold up in other studies, they'll be "pretty impressive," said urologist Dr. Anthony Y. Smith, who was to moderate a discussion on the findings Tuesday at the American Urological Association annual meeting in San Francisco. Skeptical researchers are concerned about factors that could throw off the results, said Smith, chief of urology at the University of New Mexico. Among other things, scientists wonder if the animals used in such studies pick up on subconscious signals from researchers. Still, in this study, it's hard to imagine anything "other than the dogs somehow being able to smell something that we don't smell," Smith said. If these findings are valid, they could lead to the development of more accurate tests that don't require unnecessary biopsies, Smith said. The next steps are to determine precisely what the dogs are sniffing and to develop an "electronic nose" to detect it, Cornu said. Other dogs are already being trained, he said. Could doctors and hospitals employ dogs and researchers to detect prostate cancer? Cornu said that's possible, but it could cost as much as hiring two full-time scientists.

Article Source: http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/639647.html

Drinking Green Tea Daily lowers Prostate Cancer Risk

Japanese scientists suggest that drinking daily five or more cups of green tea could halve the risk of developing advanced prostate cancer. According to the article published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, there was a 50 percent lower risk of having advanced prostate cancer in men who drank five or more cups of green tea daily compared with those who had less than a cup. Findings show while drinking green tea lowers the risk of advanced prostate cancer; it is not associated with localized prostate cancer. Researchers claim that a substance called catechin in green tea is responsible for reducing cancer risk by curbing testosterone levels which cause prostate cancer. The study suggests that the lower incidence of prostate cancer in Asians may be linked to the higher consumption of green tea. Previous studies had reported various health benefits for the green tea catechin including reduced heart attack and cancer risks.

Article Source: http://www.healthjockey.com/2007/12/20/drinking-green-tea-daily-lowers-prostate-cancer-risk/

Mixed Fruit Juice reduces Prostate Cancer Risk

Researchers have conducted a study which has found that drinking a mixed fruit juice containing fruits like blueberry, grape and raspberry on a daily basis can cut the risk of prostate cancer. According to lead researcher Dr.Jas Singh of Sydney University, “We have undertaken efficacy studies on individual components of fruit drinks and found these are effective in suppressing cell growth in culture. We reasoned that synergistic or additive effects are likely to be achieved when they are combined.” The researchers came to this conclusion after they observed the effects of the mixed fruit drinks on both cancer cell cultures in a laboratory and genetically engineered mice with human prostate tumors. They found that after just two weeks of consuming the mixed fruit juice solution which was added to the lab mice’s drinking water, their tumors had shrunk by 25%. Further, the researchers are planning to see whether a daily glass or two of this very drink could treat the disease and even help to prevent the tumor from developing. For this, they are planning a small study of 150 men with prostate cancer who will be made to drink three glasses of the juice everyday. According to Debbie Clayton of the Prostate Cancer Charity, “These studies will need to involve much larger numbers of men and it may be several years before we are able to offer men clear guidance on how the drink may help them. In the meantime, we would recommend that men include a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables in their diet, ensuring they get a ‘rainbow’ of colors.”

Article Source: http://www.healthjockey.com/2007/12/10/mixed-fruit-juice-reduces-prostate-cancer-risk/

More deaths if no prostate cancer therapy

DETROIT, June 2 (UPI) -- Prostate cancer patients who refuse treatment don't do as well as those who choose radiation treatment, U.S. researchers found. Researchers at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit found the 10-year overall survival rate for men who chose "watchful waiting" was 51 percent. It was 68 percent for those who had radiation treatment. "Surgery has been shown to offer a survival advantage to patients with prostate cancer when compared with other treatment options," lead author Dr. Naveen Pokala of Henry Ford Hospital said in a statement. "However, a significant number of patients refuse surgery and instead opt for other treatments such as radiotherapy." Pokala and colleagues examined national data of 9,704 male patients with a mean age of 64.4, and of whom 77 percent were white and 16.4 percent black. Nearly 30 percent refused any treatment, while 70 percent chose radiation therapy. The study was presented at the American Urology Association's annual meeting in San Francisco.

Article Source: http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2010/06/02/More-deaths-if-no-prostate-cancer-therapy/UPI-71111275526401/

What Dennis Hopper's Death Can Teach Us About Prostate Cancer

Article by Toni Brayer MD (June 01, 2010) in Health When Dennis Hopper died of prostate cancer at age 74, my husband asked me, "Hey, I thought prostate cancer didn't kill men and it is slow growing." Well, he is right about it usually being slow growing, but prostate cancer is still the 2nd leading cause of cancer death in men. His question made me realize that there are some facts that everyone should know about prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is very rare in men under age 40, and the incidence increases with age. African-American men are at higher risk, and Asian and Latin men are less likely than white guys to get it. We do not know why these ethnic differences occur. Family history is important, and men with an affected brother or father are twice as likely to get prostate cancer. Although genes are undoubtedly responsible, there are no genetic tests that can predict it. Some studies show obese men and men who eat large quantities of red meat and dairy products are more at risk. A vasectomy doesn't seem to matter, nor does exercise or prior prostatitis. Prostate cancer grows slowly, and the PSA (prostate specific antigen) test or a digital rectal exam can screen for an enlarged prostate. The PSA test can be false positive for many reasons, and the only way to diagnose suspected prostate cancer is by a biopsy. The most important marker for a cancer in the prostate is the "Gleason" score. This grade (1-10) tells us how advanced or aggressive the cancer is. The pathologist can see if the cells are suspicious for atypical changes or are high-grade. The extent of the tumor determines the stage. Once a cancer has been diagnosed, graded and staged, the confusing choices of treatment come into play. Because most prostate cancer occurs in older men and it is slow growing, many men choose "watchful waiting". By following PSA tests and ultrasounds, we can determine if the cancer is growing. For many men, nothing more needs to be done, because the cancer causes them no problems. For younger men or men with high Gleason scores, treatment is usually surgical removal of the prostate or radiation of the prostate gland. Radiotherapy can also occur with seed implantation of radioactive material. therapy or cryoablation is also used less often. The Prostate Cancer Foundation and the Mayo Clinic have more good info if you wish to delve further. RIP, Dennis Hopper. I think I'll take a stroll down memory lane and rent "Easy Rider" again. I haven't seen it for 40 years!

Article Source: http://www.opposingviews.com/i/what-dennis-hopper-s-death-can-teach-us-about-prostate-cancer

Prostatic Adenocarcinoma

Adenocarcinoma of the prostate is common. It is the most common non-skin malignancy in elderly men. It is rare before the age of 50, but ausy studies have found prostatic adenocarcinoma in 80% of men more than 80 years old. Many of these carcinomas are small and clinically insignificant. However, some are not, and prostatic adenocarcinoma is second only to lung carcinoma as a cause for tumor-related deaths among males. (Bostwick et al, 2004) Men with a higher likelihood of developing a prostate cancer (in the U.S.) include those of older age, black race, and family history. Those with an affected first-degree relative have a much greater risk. (Bostwick et al, 2004) Prostate cancers may be detected by digital examination, by ultrasonography (transrectal ultrasound), or by screening with a blood test for prostate specific antigen (PSA). None of these methods can reliably detect all prostate cancers, particularly the small cancers. Widespread PSA screening is not cost-effective. Men whose life expectancy is less than 10 years not pursue prostate cancer early detection because the likelihood of benefitis outweighed by the risk of harms from treatment. Men at higher risk for prostate cancer at earlier ages, including men of African American ancestry or a family history of prostate cancer in nonelderly relatives, should be provided the opportunity for informed decision making at an earlier age than average-risk men. (Wolf et al, 2010) PSA is a glycoprotein produced almost exclusively in the epithelium of the prostate gland. In the circulation PSA may be complexed to serum proteins (complexed PSA, or cPSA) or may be free (fPSA). The cPSA and fPSA together comprise total PSA (tPSA). The tPSA is normally less than 4 ng/mL (normal ranges vary depending upon which assay is used). A mildly increased tPSA in a patient with a very large prostate can be due to nodular hyperplasia, or to prostatitis, rather than carcinoma. The fPSA correlates more closely with benign prostatic conditions than the tPSA. The cPSA has a greater sensitivity for prostatic adenocarcinomas at the low ranges of elevation. A rising tPSA is suspicious for prostatic carcinoma, even if the tPSA is in the normal range. Transrectal needle biopsy, often guided by ultrasound, is useful to confirm the diagnosis, although incidental carcinomas can be found in transurethral resections for nodular hyperplasia. (Jung et al, 2006) Men who have findings suspicious for carcinoma on digital rectal examination and a tPSA of <4 ng/mL have a probability of cancer of at least 10%, while those with tPSA levels from 4 to 10 ng/mL have a 25% probability. Men with tPSA's above 10 ng/mL have a >50% likelihood of having a prostate cancer. (Demura et al, 1996) Prostatic adenocarcinomas are composed of small glands that are back-to-back, with little or no intervening stroma. Cytologic features of adenocarcinoma include enlarged round, hyperchromatic nuclei that have a single prominent nucleolus. Mitotic figures suggest carcinoma. Less differentiated carcinomas have fused glands called cribriform glands, as well as solid nests or sheets of tumor cells, and many tumors have two or more of these patterns. Prostatic adenocarcinomas almost always arise in the posterior outer zone of the prostate and are often multifocal. (Pearson et al, 1996) Prostatic adenocarcinomas are usually graded according to the Gleason grading system based on the pattern of growth. There are 5 grades (from 1 to 5) based upon the architectural patterns. Adenocarcinomas of the prostate are given two grade based on the most common and second most common architectural patterns. These two grades are added to get a final grade of 2 to 10. The stage is determined by the size and location of the cancer, whether it has invaded the prostatic capsule or seminal vesicle, and whether it has metastasized. The grade and the stage correlate well with each other and with the prognosis. The prognosis of prostatic adenocarcinoma varies widely with tumor stage and grade. Cancers with a Gleason score of <6 are generally low grade and not aggressive. Advanced prostatic adenocarcinomas typically cause urinary obstruction, metastasize to regional (pelvic) lymph nodes and to the bones, causing blastic metastases in most cases. Metastases to the lungs and liver are seen in a minority of cases. (Gleason, 1992) (Bostwick, 1996) (Epstein, 2010) American Urological Society Clinical Staging Stage Definition 10-year Survival A1 Incidental, <5% of volume 93-98% A2 Incidental, >5% of volume, or high grade 50% B1 Palpable nodule in one lobe but <1.5 cm in diameter 70-75% B2 Larger palpable nodule 62% C1 Invades capsule of prostate 40-50% C2 Invades seminal vesicle 33-39% D1 Metastases to regional lymph nodes, or extensive regional spread 17-20% D2 Evident distant metastases

Article Source: http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/TUTORIAL/PROSTATE/PROSTATE.html

Pathophysiology

Prostate cancer is classified as an adenocarcinoma, or glandular cancer, that begins when normal semen-secreting prostate gland cells mutate into cancer cells. The region of prostate gland where the adenocarcinoma is most common is the peripheral zone. Initially, small clumps of cancer cells remain confined to otherwise normal prostate glands, a condition known as carcinoma in situ or prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN). Although there is no proof that PIN is a cancer precursor, it is closely associated with cancer. Over time, these cancer cells begin to multiply and spread to the surrounding prostate tissue (the stroma) forming a tumor. Eventually, the tumor may grow large enough to invade nearby organs such as the seminal vesicles or the rectum, or the tumor cells may develop the ability to travel in the bloodstream and lymphatic system. Prostate cancer is considered a malignant tumor because it is a mass of cells that can invade other parts of the body. This invasion of other organs is called metastasis. Prostate cancer most commonly metastasizes to the bones, lymph nodes, rectum, and bladder. The prostate is a zinc accumulating, citrate producing organ. The protein ZIP-1 is responsible for the active transport of zinc into prostate cells. One of zinc's important roles is to change the metabolism of the cell in order to produce citrate, an important component of semen. The process of zinc accumulation, alteration of metabolism, and citrate production is energy inefficient, and prostate cells sacrifice enormous amounts of energy (ATP) in order to accomplish this task. Prostate cancer cells are generally devoid of zinc. This allows prostate cancer cells to save energy not making citrate, and utilize the new abundance of energy to grow and spread. The absence of zinc is thought to occur via a silencing of the gene that produces the transporter protein ZIP-1. ZIP-1 is now called a tumor suppressor gene product for the gene SLC39A1. The cause of the epigenetic silencing is unknown. Strategies which transport zinc into transformed prostate cells effectively eliminate these cells in animals. Zinc inhibits NF-κB pathways, is anti-proliferative, and induces apoptosis in abnormal cells. Unfortunately, oral ingestion of zinc is ineffective since high concentrations of zinc into prostate cells is not possible without the active transporter, ZIP- Journal-molecular cancer, review, 2006 5:17, doi:10.1186/1476-4598-5-17 RUNX2 is a transcription factor that prevents cancer cells from undergoing apoptosis thereby contributing to the development of prostate cancer. The PI3k/Akt signaling cascade works with the transforming growth factor beta/SMAD signaling cascade to ensure prostate cancer cell survival and protection against apoptosis. X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP) is hypothesized to promote prostate cancer cell survival and growth and is a target of research because if this inhibitor can be shut down then the apoptosis cascade can carry on its function in preventing cancer cell proliferation. Macrophage inhibitory cytokine-1 (MIC-1) stimulates the focal adhesion kinase (FAK) signaling pathway which leads to prostate cancer cell growth and survival. The androgen receptor helps prostate cancer cells to survive and is a target for many anti cancer research studies; so far, inhibiting the androgen receptor has only proven to be effective in mouse studies. Prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) stimulates the development of prostate cancer by increasing folate levels for the cancer cells to use to survive and grow; PSMA increases available folates for use by hydrolyzing glutamated folates.

Article Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostate_cancer

Prostate Cancer Therapy May Prove Successful in Treatment of Surgery-Resistant Cancer

Recent research into the efficacy of a new form of therapy for patients with a certain type of prostate cancer has yielded encouraging results, according to a study published April 15, 2010 in The Lancet. The results indicate that the new treatment, known as MDV3100, demonstrates "encouraging antitumor activity in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer," a form of the cancer resistant to the surgical removal of the testicles. The study involved 140 American with castration-resistant prostate cancer who were given varying doses of MDV3100, ranging from 30 to 600 milligrams of the medication daily. Researchers noted that the primary objective of the trial was to "identify the safety and tolerability profile of MDV3100 and to establish the maximum tolerated dose," which was determined to be 240 milligrams of the medication. Prostate cancer becomes castration-resistant when cancerous cells continue to grow, re-grow and thrive without as much testosterone, which allows the tumors in the prostate to mature. It is not clear whether or not the treatment will receive federal approval, as only two of the three required research phases have been completed. Completion of the third phase is underway, with researchers working to compare the treatment to a placebo to determine if the therapy prolongs the life of men with prostate cancer.

Article Source: http://www.drugwatch.com/news/2010/04/15/prostate-cancer- -therapy-may-prove-successful-treatment-surgery-resistant-can/

Prostate cancer patients with low-risk tumors could hold off treatment

With the advent of PSA (prostate antigen) screening nearly 20 years ago, doctors started to detect prostate cancers at much earlier stages. This was explained by corresponding author Dr. Martin Sanda, Director of the Prostate Cancer Center at BIDMC and Associate Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School. Dr Martin Sanda commented, “Consequently, while PSA testing has enabled us to successfully begin aggressive treatment of high-risk cancers at an earlier stage, it has also resulted in the diagnosis of cancers that are so small they pose no near-term danger and possibly no long-term danger.” Sanda, jointly with coauthors from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, the Harvard School of Public Health and the University of California, San Francisco, checked the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study which is a big cohort study including about 51,529 men who have apparently been followed since 1986. Every two years, the participants supposedly replied to questionnaires about diseases and health-related ics, as well as whether they have been diagnosed with prostate cancer. A sum of about 3,331 men apparently accounted to receive a diagnosis of prostate cancer between 1986 and 2007. Additional study discovered that among this sub-group, about 342 men, just over 10 percent had apparently chosen to postpone treatment for one year or longer. After 10 to 15 years, half of the men who had primarily delayed treatment apparently still had not gone through any treatment for prostate cancer. Sanda explained, “We wanted to find out how this group of men fared in the long-term. So we looked at the data they provided us at an average of eight years after their initial diagnosis, and compared it with data provided by prostate-cancer patients who had opted for aggressive treatment, such as surgery, radiotherapy or hormonal therapy. We found that the deaths attributed to prostate cancer were very low among the men with low-risk tumors. Our analysis showed that only two percent of the men who deferred treatment eventually died of the disease, compared with one percent of the men who began treatment immediately following their diagnosis. This is not a statistically significant difference.” The three types of prostate cancer were identified as high risk, which may be big, quicker growing cancers, intermediate risk and low-risk, which could be small and slower growing cancers. There is apparently plenty of proof that treating intermediate and high-risk cancers with surgery, radiation or therapy may save lives. But how to take care for low-risk cancer supposedly is not certain. Sanda remarked, “These findings showed that men diagnosed with low-risk tumors who deferred treatment were still doing fine an average of eight years — and up to 20 years — following their diagnosis. In fact, only half of these men wound up undergoing any treatment 10 to 15 years post-diagnosis. This means that they were able to avoid the disruption in their quality of life which might have occurred had they undergone immediate treatment.” Sanda adds, “If this approach was more broadly accepted as a standard care option for suitable low-risk prostate cancers, it might help us avoid throwing the baby out with the bathwater when it comes to the PSA test. Instead of just abandoning the PSA test because it might be leading to an overdiagnosis of prostate cancer, we could conduct PSA screening in a way that allows more aggressive prostate cancers to be treated, while less aggressive tumors could initially be monitored.” Sanda believes that this would avoid problems due to treatment of ‘overdiagnosed’ low-risk cancers, while preserving the life saving benefits of treating aggressive cancers that have been detected through PSA testing.

Article Source: http://www.healthjockey.com/2009/09/15/prostate-cancer-patients-with-low-risk-tumors-could-hold-off-treatment/

Ultra-sensitive test to tell prostate cancer patients if they are cured after operation

Scientists are developing an ultra-sensitive test which will accurately predict whether men with prostate cancer are cured after surgery. The test should allow doctors to tell patients that the cancer has been completely removed, or recommend further treatment to s it coming back. It is 300 times more reliable than current commercial tests that measure levels of protein called PSA (prostate-specific antigen) in the blood. Men who have had their cancerous prostate gland removed are checked for PSA, which signals the presence of cancer cells that may have spread to the rest of the body. But existing tests often fail to detect these cells, resulting in cancer recurring in 40 per cent of patients who had been given the all-clear. The new VeriSens test uses nanoparticle-based technology that appears to more accurately chart the course of the disease after surgery. It may pick up cancer recurrence earlier, when secondary treatment is more effective for a patient's survival. The study results were released yesterday by scientists at Chicago's Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and the University International Institute for Nanotechnology. Co-principal investigator Dr C. Shad Thaxton said: 'This test may provide early and more accurate answers. 'It detects PSA at levels in the blood that cannot be detected by conventional tests. 'It may allow physicians to act at the earliest and most sensitive time, which will provide the patient with the best chance of long-term survival.' Dr Thaxton said the next step for scientists was a clinical trial to compare the nano-particle PSA test to traditional PSA tests and determine if earlier detection and treatment can save lives. Fellow researcher Dr William Catalona added: 'It should be especially useful in the early identification of men who would benefit from poserative radiation therapy and those who need poserative salvage radiation therapy for recurrence.' John Neate, chief executive of the Prostate Cancer Charity, said: 'This new study describes a new diagnostic tool, a nanoparticle-based PSA test, which appears to give very accurate PSA readings at much lower levels than the standard follow-up tests currently used. 'It is too soon to know whether the test will have a place in clinical practice. 'Only through further studies would the researchers be able to identify whether being able to detect the return of prostate cancer at an earlier stage would have the desired effect of improving long-term survival.'

Article Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1283472/Prostate-cancer-test-let-patients-know-cured-operation.html?ITO=1490

Sound waves prostate cancer treatment may have lesser side effects on the patient

Prostate cancer may now be effectively treated in a non-invasive manner, which may even result in lesser side effects. Such a treatment is believed to be possible through an experimental cancer therapy, called the High-Intensity-Focused Ultrasound (HIFU). This therapy, which uses sound waves to destroy the tumor cells, is believed to have been tested in a trial conducted in London at the University College Hospital and the Princess Grace Hospital. The study experts have explained that HIFU is a therapy which uses high frequency sound waves to heat a specific area to the temperature of about 80-90◦C. This therapy may possibly be used to treat either the entire prostate or merely a specific targeted cancer region. Men suffering from prostate cancer may usually be treated with either radiotherapy or surgery. Often surgery may require the patient to stay in the hospital for a period of 2-3 days; while radiotherapy may notably require daily treatment as an outpatient for atleast 1 month. Thereby, in order to better understand the effect of the HIFU therapy on patients with prostate cancer, the study investigators notably tested this therapy on more than 150 such patients. It was further also stated that these patients were treated with this particular therapy under general anesthesia. The experts have stated that five hours after receiving the HIFU therapy, the patients were evidently discharged from the hospitals. More so, out of some of the patients which were followed for a year, around 92% of them didn’t seem to re-experience prostate cancer. Even though it was noted that this study may not be a comparative study, it is presumed that the presently used treatments may reveal similar statistics of men showing no recurrence of the disease after one year. Lead study expert, Dr. Hashim Ahmed, UCL’s division of surgical and interventional science, says that, “This study suggests it’s possible that HIFU may one day play a role in treating men with early prostate cancer with fewer side effects. But we don’t yet know for sure if HIFU is more effective than traditional treatments so it will be important to carry out further studies involving a larger number of patients followed over a longer period of time to truly compare the long term effectiveness of this treatment.” Apart from this, Professor Peter Johnson, chief clinician at the Cancer Research UK, says that, “This technique needs careful evaluation to make sure that it can produce the same results as the proven treatments for early prostate cancer. If the treatment can be shown to have less side effects then that will be excellent news, but more research is needed to show this. Cancer Research UK is funding a trial to look at this question and we hope that further studies can be carried out to compare HIFU to standard treatments.” Out of the patients followed for one year after their HIFU therapy, it was observed that 1 man had incontinence, while around 30-40% of them had impotence. On the other hand, neither of the patients was noted to experience any bowel-related issues. In contrast to this, a different ratio was presumed to take place for the patients who may either undergo surgery or radiotherapy. It was presumed that around 5-20% of these patients may experience incontinence, while almost 50% may have impotence. Apart from this, around 5-20% of the patients may even experience various other ill-effects of radiotherapy like pain, bleeding and diarrhea.

Article Source: http://www.healthjockey.com/2009/07/02/sound-waves-prostate-cancer-treatment-may-have-lesser-side-effects-on-the-patient/

Why you should consider a prostate cancer PSA test today

Prostate cancer kills if allowed to grow. If ever there was a good reason to have a simple blood test, this is it. The prostate cancer PSA (prostate specific antigen) test is one of the tests given to determine if cancer cells are present in an otherwise healthy prostate. It is a simple blood test to help doctors diagnose and identify the existence of prostate cancer. The PSA test, although considered a prostate-specific test, is not really an absolute definitive test for the cancer. Depending on the research conducted, the PSA test is known to be somewhere between 85 and 95 percent accurate in identifying prostate cancer. While an elevated PSA test may suggest the presence of prostate cancer, it’s not an absolute. However, if you have an elevated result, your doctor will probably want to do additional testing for a more complete and accurate assessment of the potential cancer. The last thing you want to do is to allow prostate cancer to grow beyond the prostate gland. The good news is that benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), better known as an enlarged prostate, can also elevate the PSA test results. Even prostatitis and lower urinary tract symptoms can show elevated levels of PSA, so if you have an elevated test result, don’t panic. A normal result from a PSA test doesn’t guarantee that you’re free from cancer, nor does a higher-than-normal result mean you do have cancer. It’s critical that you follow your doctor’s lead in regard to dealing with the PSA test results. The results are an indication, and should be used as a tool to develop a complete diagnosis. To complicate matters more, PSA levels can also increase with age. The relative size of your prostate also plays a factor in interpreting the results. As many as two out of three people with elevated PSA readings do not have a malignancy. TEST BENEFITS Here’s a quick list of the benefits and reasons why you should consider getting a PSA test: 1. It’s possible to detect a cancerous condition before any symptoms are known. 2. Early detection catches prostate cancer before it has spread, increasing the chances of a complete cure. 3. The PSA blood test has been recognized as a contributing factor that has significantly reduced the number of prostate cancer deaths. While the PSA test can also deliver a false positive about 20 percent of the time, it is recognized as a good indicator of potential cancerous conditions and should be taken seriously. A 2005 Harvard study indicated that men having an annual PSA test were almost three times less likely to die of prostate cancer than men who didn’t bother with the test. So, the best reason to have the test is that without it, you greatly increase the chances of dying from prostate cancer.

Article Source: http://www.silive.com/healthfit/index.ssf/2010/05/why_you_should_consider_a_prostate_cancer_psa_test_today.html

Prostatitis

Prostatitis is inflammation of the prostate gland. There are primarily four different forms of prostatitis, each with different causes and outcomes. Two relatively uncommon forms, acute prostatitis and chronic bacterial prostatitis, are treated with antibiotics (category I and II, respectively). Chronic non-bacterial prostatitis or male chronic pelvic pain syndrome (category III), which comprises about 95% of prostatitis diagnoses, is treated by a large variety of modalities including alpha blockers, phytotherapy, physical therapy, psychotherapy, antihistamines, anxiolytics, nerve modulators and more.More recently, a combination of trigger point and psychological therapy has proved effective for category III prostatitis as well. Category IV prostatitis, relatively uncommon in the general population, is a type of leukocytosis.

About 50% of men will experience symptoms of prostatitis during their lifetime, but many do not know what this condition is. Prostatitis is a general term for inflammation of the prostate. This condition can occur in men of any age. Prostatitis is not cancer, and there is no evidence that it leads to prostate cancer.

Prostatitis is often difficult to diagnose and treat. There are three different forms of prostatitis — acute bacterial, chronic bacterial, and chronic nonbacterial — and treatment may be different for each. Chronic nonbacterial prostatitis is the most common form of this condition, and acute bacterial prostatitis is the least common but most severe form.
Put simply, prostatitis hurts. This painful condition—an inflamed, swollen, and tender prostate—can be caused by a bacterial infection or other factors.

The National Center for Health Statistics estimates that about 25% of all men who see a doctor for urological problems have symptoms of prostatitis. An estimated half of all men will experience some of these symptoms during their lifetime. Prostatitis is the most common cause of urinary tract infections in men. In fact, American men make about two million trips to the doctor each year seeking help for the symptoms of prostatitis or other irritative prostatic conditions.

The major complaint in men with prostatitis is pain in the perineum (the area between the rectum and the testicles). They may also experience aches, pain in the joints or muscles and lower back, blood in the urine, pain or burning during urination, and painful ejaculation.

In its own way, prostatitis is every bit as difficult and frustrating as BPH—not only because of the symptoms, but because there is not always an apparent cause. Prostatitis is a benign ailment—it is not cancer, and it does not lead to cancer. It is not always curable, but it is almost always treatable.

There is a common belief that inflammation of the prostate may lead over time to the development of prostate cancer. Current studies are examining ways of reducing inflammation to prevent prostate cancer. While there has been a recent link between a new virus (called XMRV) and some cases of prostate cancer, most prostate cancer is likely caused by a combination of factors, such as diet, lifestyle, genetics, and environmental exposures. Many of these factors can also lead to prostatitis.

 

Black Men at Greater Risk of Aggressive Prostate Tumors

WEDNESDAY, June 2 (HealthDay News) -- Black men are already known to be at higher risk of developing prostate cancer than white men, but now a new study reports that they also appear to be more likely to develop aggressive forms of the disease. Researchers analyzed biopsies from 131 men -- 67 blacks and 64 whites -- whose prostates were removed at the Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center in North Carolina. The investigators found signs that the black men had more aggressive forms of prostate cancer. The findings are scheduled to be released Wednesday at American Urological Association annual meeting in San Francisco. "African-American men are more than twice as likely to develop prostate cancer, and these data show tumors may be more aggressive in this population," Dr. Anthony Y. Smith, a spokesman for the association, said in a news release. "African-American men should be especially vigilant about their prostate health and talk with their physicians about prostate cancer testing starting at age 40."

Article Source:http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/cancer/articles/2010/06/02/black-men-at-greater-risk-of-aggressive-prostate-tumors-study.html

Size of Prostate Tumor Linked to Patients' Weight

Tumor size among prostate cancer patients appears to be linked to patient weight, with heavier men having larger tumors, a new study reveals. The finding stems from work involving more than 3,300 prostate cancer patients with an average age of 60 who underwent surgery between 2001 and 2007 to remove a malignant prostate gland and surrounding tissue. "As the patient's body mass index [BMI] increased, the tumor volume increased synchronously," Dr. Nilesh Patil, from the department of radiology at the Henry Ford Hospital's Vattikuti Urology Institute in Detroit, said in a news release. "Based on our results, we believe having a larger percentage of tumor volume may be contributing to the aggressive nature of the disease in men with a higher BMI." BMI is a measurement of body fat that takes into account a person's weight and height. In the study, BMI scores ranged from 24.9 or less for normal to underweight individuals, to 40 or higher for morbidly obese individuals, the team noted. Patil's team is slated to present the findings Wednesday in San Francisco at the American Urology Association annual meeting. The authors noted that prior research had already established that aggressive prostate cancer was linked to having a higher BMI. To explore whether or not the cancer-BMI association translated into bigger tumor size, the research team weighed and compared tumors that had been removed from the patients. The authors found that in every BMI category -- underweight, normal, overweight, obese and morbidly obese -- tumor size correlated directly with patient weight, with lower-weight patients having smaller tumors and higher-weight patients having larger tumors.

Article Source: http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/cancer/articles/2010/06/02/size-of-prostate-tumor-linked-to-patients-weight.html

Prostate Tumor Symptoms

Because prostate cancer is usually so slow growing, it rarely causes physical symptoms until quite advanced. Even then, the typical symptoms are non-specific and easily confused with symptoms from other conditions, which are either not dangerous or less worrisome than prostate cancer. Urinary Symptoms Urinary problems, such as an intermittent or weakened stream or increasing frequency, may be due to a prostate tumor. They also could caused by overgrowth of the prostate gland or by a bacterial or viral infection in the urinary system. Blood in the Urine Bloody urine can come from many causes including benign enlargement of the prostate, broken blood vessels in the urinary system, kidney or bladder stones or cancer. A doctor should evaluate any occurrence of this. Blood in Semen Usually this is not a symptom of a prostate tumor. Rather it can come from irritation of the urinary tract, straining during sexual activity or even from a bowel movement. However, a doctor should check this symptom. Swelling in the Lower Extremities If prostate cancer spreads to the nearby lymph nodes, it may cause swelling in the legs. Pain A prostate tumor that has entered an advanced stage can cause bone pain in the lower back, hip or pelvis.

Article Source: http://www.ehow.com/facts_5202297_prostate-tumor-symptoms.html

Prostate Cancer Tumor Grading

Prostate cancer involves abnormal cell growth in the prostate, which is the walnut-shaped gland in men that is responsible for producing seminal fluid. Prostate cancer is the most common kind of cancer in males, affecting approximately one in every six men in the U.S., according to the Mayo Clinic. Gleason Score The prostate cancer tumor grading method most commonly used is the Gleason system, which is named after the pathologist who created it. Dr. Donald Gleason devised this staging system to evaluate the prognosis of males with prostate cancer. Features The Gleason system grades prostate cancer cells on a scale from Grade 2 to Grade 10. The final grade is derived by assigning a grade to the two largest cancerous areas of the prostate tissue samples and adding the two grades. Significance Higher Gleason scores mean the prostate cancer tumor is aggressive and poorly differentiated. Lower scores mean the prostate tumor is less aggressive and well-differentiated. Diagnosis Prostate tissue is obtained through a biopsy of the prostate. Most males with prostate cancer have Grade 5 to Grade 7 tumors. Considerations Prostate tumors rating Grade 2 to Grade 4 typically don't shorten a patient's lifespan. Tumors with grades of 5 to 7 can shorten a man's life by four or five years, while tumors Grade 8 to Grade 10 can take six to eight years off a patient's life. Warnings Prostate cancer tumor grading isn't an exact science. Tumors might be missed in the prostate biopsy and doctors' grades can vary.

Article Source: http://www.ehow.com/facts_5576237_prostate-cancer-tumor-grading.html

Non invasive treatment of benign prostate tumor case

Once the prostate swelling is diagnosed as a benign prostate tumor, the treatment options open up to include several approaches and methods of treatment but, if the prostate swelling is diagnosed as prostate cancer then the only solution is to totally remove the prostate gland. In cases of benign prostate tumor, the doctor can try several lines of treatment before he goes for the surgical approaches. Although the surgical approaches are proven to be of excellent results but it has a major side effect which is that the surgical approach cause male impotence. Because of this particular and sensitive reason, specialists tend to postpone the surgical treatment as long as they can. And with the discovery of new methods of treatments the choices are wider and with more options included. Apart from the herbal treatment that turned out to be a scam and the medical treatments that take anywhere between three to six months to see a significant improvement in the case, there are new methods that resemble the effect of surgery but without the side effects. The first method is called transurethral needle ablation or (TUNA). This method depends on applying a radio wave frequency to the pelvic region targeting the prostate gland to cause shrinkage through the radio waves. The transurethral microwave thermotherapy is another approach that depend on waves too but this time it depend on the thermal effect of the waves instead of depending of the pulses itself like in case of radio wave treatment. Transurethral electro vaporization is one of the most recent techniques used to treat prostate by inducing a very little electric current. Water induced thermotherapy is another method of treatment depending on the effect of heat on the shrinkage of prostate Finally, there are now trials to include the laser in the treatment of prostate swelling but most of these treatments are still developing and did not reach the required level of success to replace the surgical techniques completely but they constitute a good replacement in mild cases where the surgical opening or even the endoscopy are not necessary. People always tend to avoid surgery at any cost because they are always afraid of the complications like virus transmission and other complications and not to mention the potential of occurrence of impotence as a side effect of the surgery. But even with all of these debates and side effects, surgery is still number one choice in cases of complete urine stasis or urethral stones because these cases need immediate response before it propagate into more serious complications

Article Source: http://www.bats-bats.com/