Prostate cancer is the second most common type of cancer in men and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men. Approximately 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime, and the rates of prostate cancer have been rising in Pennsylvania.
Prostate cancer is a serious disease. Fortunately, most people are diagnosed before it spreads, and early treatment is often very successful.
What is prostate cancer?
The prostate is a male gland found below the bladder and in front of the rectum. It consists of connective tissues and glandular tissues that secrete fluid that mixes with semen to keep sperm healthy for conception.
“Prostate cancer begins when the DNA in prostate cells undergo changes that cause the cells to grow and divide more rapidly than normal cells. These genetic changes seem to be involved in about 15% of patients with a new diagnosis of prostate cancer,” said John S. Banerji, MD, a urologist with Penn Highlands Urology in DuBois and Clearfield. “As the abnormal cells accumulate, they create a tumor that can continue to grow and spread to other parts of the body. Prostate cancer typically spreads to lymph nodes in the vicinity of the prostate, the pelvic lymph nodes and to the bones, and this is called metastatic prostate cancer.”
Who is at risk for prostate cancer?
“Anyone can be diagnosed with prostate cancer, but it is more common among older men,” said Dr. Banerji. “Approximately 6 in 10 prostate cancers are diagnosed in men who are 65 or older, and the average age of men when they are first diagnosed is about 67.”
Other factors that can increase your risk of prostate cancer include:
- Race — Black people have a greater risk than people of other races. The cancer is also more likely to be aggressive or advanced.
- Family history — If a blood relative has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, your risk may be greater, especially if the cancer was diagnosed under age 50. Your risk may also be higher if you have a strong family history of breast cancer or ovarian cancer, or a family history of genes that increase the risk of breast cancer.
- Obesity — People who are obese may have a higher risk of prostate cancer, and the cancer is more likely to return after initial treatment.
What are the symptoms?
Prostate cancer often causes no signs or symptoms in its early stages. As it advances, symptoms may include:
- Trouble urinating
- Decreased force in the stream of urine
- Blood in the urine
- Blood in the semen
- Bone pain
- Losing weight without trying
- Erectile dysfunction
Should you get a prostate cancer screening?
Previously there was no consensus as to whether the benefits of prostate cancer screenings outweigh the potential risks. However, recent literature (after 2012) recommends prostate cancer screening. Screening can find prostate cancers that may be at high risk of spreading, but they can also detect prostate cancer in some men who would never have had symptoms in their lifetime. These patients who have low-risk low-grade prostate cancer, are now managed with Active Surveillance, which means closely watching these cancers to see if they get more aggressive over the years. If they do, they are then treated at that point in time. Hence overtreatment for low grade indolent cancers is prevented.
Screening can also produce false positives, especially in older men, leading to unnecessary tests, like a biopsy of the prostate that can cause pain, blood in the semen or infection. Because of these potential risks, most medical organizations encourage men in their 50s to discuss the pros and cons of screening tests with their doctors.
Whether you receive a screening or not, an active, healthy lifestyle can help reduce your risk for prostate cancer. Eat a variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains; exercise most days of the week; and maintain a healthy weight. If you are at a high risk for prostate cancer, talk to your healthcare provider. They may recommend medications or other treatments to reduce your risk.
How is prostate cancer treated?
Each cancer is different, and your treatment options will depend on factors like how fast it is growing, whether or not it has spread to other parts of your body and your overall health.
Low-grade cancer, where the cancer cells look more like normal cells and grow and spread more slowly, may not need immediate treatment and can be closely watched. Your provider will keep a close eye on it by performing regular blood tests, rectal exams and prostate biopsies. If the cancer is not progressing, you may never need treatment.
If it is progressing, however, there are several treatment options your provider may recommend, including robotic-assisted da Vinci surgery to remove the entire prostate, radiation therapy to kill the cancer cells, hormone therapy to cut off the supply of testosterone that feed the cancer cells, chemotherapy drugs that kill rapidly growing cells and immunotherapy that uses your immune system to fight cancer, among others.
Penn Highlands Healthcare provides comprehensive Urological care throughout Pennsylvania. The health system’s board-certified urologists are highly trained to treat disorders of the male reproductive organs, and the urinary tract for both males and females, including prostatitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia, urinary incontinence, overactive bladder, erectile dysfunction, prostate cancer, kidney cancer, bladder cancer and testicular cancer. To make an appointment or to learn more, visit www.phhealthcare.org/urology.