The male prostate is a quite small gland which is roughly the the same size as a walnut and is located under the bladder and just in front of the rectum. An important gland, the prostate makes the fluid which helps carry sperm.
A major problem that can and often does arise with the prostate gland is prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is a serious condition that can be expected to strike approximately one man in ten and is the second most common cause of cancer death in men these days.
Exactly how does prostate cancer begin?
Prostate cancer begins as a malignant tumor growing in the prostate gland which, if left untreated, can spread over time into neighboring tissue and organs and into the lymph nodes and bone.
Exactly what are the risk factors involved?
Over 70 percent of people affected with prostate cancer are more than 65 years of age.
Men with family members such as a father or grandfather who have had prostate cancer are up to 11 times more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than men without any family history of the disease.
The death rate from prostate cancer rises with weight and is especially high in men who are obese.
Men of Caucasian decent are over two times more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than those of African decent.
What can I do to stop myself getting prostate cancer?
There is really nothing you can do to stop yourself from contracting prostate cancer although there is some belief that having a healthy diet can lower the possibilities. At present there is very little evidence to support this.
How to go about diagnosing prostate cancer.
There are a number of different tests for prostate cancer including the prostate specific antigen (PSA) test, a digital rectal examination and a biopsy.
The prostate specific antigen (PSA) test is a blood test which detects the level of a prostate specific antigen in the bloodstream. High PSA levels do not mean that you have prostate cancer but are an indication of possible problems which should be investigated further.
The digital rectal examination requires your physician to wear a glove and place a lubricated finger into the anus to feel the prostate gland for enlargement or irregularity.
In the case of a biopsy the doctor will take a number of tissue samples from the prostate gland which will then be examined under a microscope for signs of cancerous cells.
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