Prostate cancer is a type of cancer that forms in the prostate tissues. It is the malignant or uncontrolled growth of cells within the prostate gland. The prostate is a small, wall-nut-shaped body part that purposely produces seminal fluid and nourishes and transports the male gametes. This type of cancer is becoming common among men. In the United States, prostate cancer is becoming more common than skin cancer. Patients with prostate cancer do not show signs of this type of cancer in its initial stages. However, statistics from the American Cancer Society in 2018 estimated the likelihood of newly diagnosed cases of prostate cancer increasing while approximately 29,430 prostate cancer patients were likely to die from the same disease. The survey also projected that nearly 1 in every nine men would likely be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.
Prostate cancer is identified from research as a slow-growing disease. Most men die because of other issues or illnesses before significant problems are caused by prostate cancer. However, other prostate cancers are deadly because they are aggressive and spread outside the prostate glands’ confines. Nevertheless, the survival rate for prostate cancer has significantly improved. There are different types of prostate cancer. For instance, all prostate cancers develop from the gland cells and are adenocarcinomas. Other types of cancer can begin within the prostate, such as sarcomas, transitional cell carcinomas, and small cell carcinomas. Consequently, these types of prostates are not common but rare. This article describes the causes and treatment of prostate cancer among men.
Causes of Prostate Cancer
The exact cause of prostate cancer, as it is with other types of cancers, is not easy to identify. Under many circumstances, several factors are entailed, for example, exposure to environmental toxins such as radiation and chemicals and genetics. The mutation in an individual’s genetic material or DNA can lead to the growth of cancerous cells. Mutations contribute to cells within a person’s prostate to begin growing abnormally or uncontrollably. Cancerous or abnormal cells grow and divide continuously to develop a tumor. Some people might encounter aggressive prostate cancer, where the prostate cancer cells leave their original tumor site and end up spreading to other parts of the body.
Risk Factors for Prostate Cancer
Age
This is one of the most significant risk factors for this disease. It is a disease that is not usually found in young men. The Prostate Cancer Foundation reports that for those aged 40 years and below, only 1 in 10,000 men is likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer. However, this number increases to 1 in 38 for those aged between 40 and 59. Most people diagnosed with prostate cancer are men over 65 years old.
Geographical Location
The area or region where people reside is likely to influence the development of prostate cancer. For instance, there are lower incidences of prostate cancer for Asian men living in America than for other races. Statistics also show that Asian men are less likely to develop the disease. In addition, the American Cancer Society reports it; the disease is more prevalent in the Caribbean, North America, Australia, and northwestern Europe than in Africa, Asia, and South America. The Prostate Cancer Foundation also notes that men in the U.S. living north of 40 degrees’ latitude have a higher chance of dying from the disease than those residing further south; this is due to lower levels of sunlight and vitamin D that men in the northern climates receive. Lack of vitamin D in men may promote their risks of getting prostate cancer.
Race and Ethnicity
Current studies show that ethnicity and race are crucial risk factors for prostate cancer. For instance, South American men, African American men, and West African men of Caribbean ancestry have a higher incidence and mortality of prostate cancer than white men. Conversely, Asian men have lower incidences of prostate cancer because of their lifestyle and environmental factors, diet, and genetic susceptibility.
Treatment and Management of Prostate Cancer
Several types of treatment available can be used to help prostate cancer patients. The following are the treatment methods for prostate cancer.
Surgery
This method of treating prostate cancer patients is very much effective and proven. Those in good health and with a tumor within their prostate gland can choose surgery to remove it. Several types of surgery are considered appropriate for treating prostate cancer, including radical prostatectomy. This is a procedure that aims at prostate removal. At the same time, other organs, like the nearby lymph nodes, can be removed. This surgical procedure includes many types, such as laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, which is robot-assisted. Minor cuts are made in the abdomen walls during this process or surgery. Then, a surgeon inserts an instrument with a camera via one of the openings. The other opening robotic arms are used to insert surgical instruments. The purpose of the camera is to offer the surgeon a view that is 3-dimensional of the surroundings and, more so, the prostate. Therefore, the robotic arms are used to undertake the surgery under the surgeon’s watch on a computer.
Occasionally, surgeons would like to save the nerves that manage penile erection through nerve-sparing surgery. Nevertheless, some patients have tumors very close to the nerves or large tumors for which this method is not applicable. Surgery may seem to be a good method for treating prostate cancer, but the patient is experiencing the following complications after surgery. Some patients have urine leakage from the bladder, shortening of the penis, and impotence. This implies that prostate surgery should be done carefully to prevent patients from experiencing lifetime problems.
Chemotherapy
One problem with cancer cells is that they continuously grow. This method of treating prostate cancer employs drugs to either kill or stop their growth. Chemotherapy is administered either by injection or by mouth. The drug can reach the bloodstream, particularly the cells resulting in malignant growth in the entire body. In this prostate cancer treatment method, a drug known as docetaxel improved men’s survival in 2004. The drug has consistently been used as the mainstay of chemotherapy. It is used with other chemotherapy drugs to help treat prostate cancer. For instance, the use of Androgen Deprivation Therapy (ADT) and Taxotere was found through a study at the Dab-Ferber Cancer Institute. It nearly extended the survival rate of metastatic prostate cancer patients by more than 13 months.
Active Surveillance
These are treatment options that are used with aged people. These patients have not yet shown symptoms and signs or whose prostate cancer has been discovered during another screening test. The conditions of these patients are closely monitored without prescribing or advising for any treatment until the symptoms and signs begin to show or appear. At this time, the treatment aims to promote the quality of life through relieving the symptoms. Active surveillance entails following the patients’ conditions closely but without any treatment unless test results change. It is a measure that helps identify early signs of prostate cancer due to worsening the patient’s condition. Patients undergo tests and exams, such as the Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test, transrectal needle biopsy, and digital rectal exam. Once cancer starts to grow, appropriate treatment can be given to cure cancer.
Drugs for Treating Prostate Cancer
The Food and Drug Administration has confirmed several types of drugs for use with prostate cancer patients. For instance, bisphosphonate drugs are utilized during bisphosphonate therapy to treat prostate cancer. These drugs include zoledronate or clodronate, which help reduce bone disease attacks after realizing that cancer has spread. Patients exposed to therapies like orchiectomy stand a high chance of experiencing bone loss. However, administering bisphosphonate drugs can help slow or prevent the growth of bone metastases. Other recommended drugs include degarelix, docetaxel, and flutamide.
Prostate cancer is a common disease of the male gender worldwide. It is a condition that is causing stress to the male population globally; however, it is treatable, especially when diagnosed early and the appropriate treatment is initiated. In addition, prostate cancer patients need not lose hope once diagnosed with this disease because treatment options like drugs, chemotherapy, and surgery can help manage and treat their conditions.
