Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in males worldwide and the second most common cause of death in males. It is treatable if diagnosed in the early stages. There are marked variations in the rate of this disease among the population in different parts of the world [1].

The prostate is a gland having a shape comparable to the walnut and weighs about one ounce. It is located below the urinary bladder (where urine is stored) and in the front of the rectum (the last part of the intestines). Through the centre of the prostate, there goes the urethra, which is the tube that carries urine and semen out of the body.

 

What are the Symptoms of Prostate Cancer?

In the early stages, prostate cancer is often asymptomatic.

In the later stages, the patient may present with the following symptoms [2]:

• Difficulty in urination
• Haematuria (Blood in the urine)
• Hematospermia (Blood in semen)
• Erectile dysfunction
• Weight loss and loss of appetite
• There is a pain in the bones with or without pathological fracture
• Lower extremity pain
• This cancer can cause spinal cord compression, leading to a tingling sensation, leg weakness, pain, paralysis, and urinary incontinence

 

 

 

What are the Causes of Prostate Cancer?

Following are the factors that may be related to prostate cancer [3]:

• Genetics is involved in this cancer. Family history and genetic background are known to contribute to prostate cancer.
• Diet is also linked to prostate cancer. High calcium intake is associated with an advanced risk of prostate cancer. It is also suggested that a vegetarian diet lowers the rate of this cancer.
• Occupational hazards can also be a cause. People working in the rubber industry and metal factories are at risk of developing prostate cancer.
• Obesity is also a cause of prostate cancer.  

 

What are the Treatment Options?

The treatment options depend on several factors, such as how fast cancer is growing and its spread, etc. Here are some common treatment options [4]:

 

• No Immediate medication:

 No immediate treatment is needed for low-grade cancer. Active surveillance is recommended by the doctor sometimes. Regular blood tests, rectal exams, and prostate biopsies are performed to monitor the growth of cancer. If these tests show that your cancer is progressing, your next step is the proper treatment of cancer.

 

• Removal of the prostate:

If the cancer is confined to the prostate, surgery is the best option for the treatment. During this procedure, some surrounding tissue along with a few lymph nodes and the prostate gland is removed. 

 

• Radiation therapy:

High-intensity radiations are used to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy kills the cancerous cells and slows their spread to other tissues. There are two types of radiation techniques:

1. External beam radiation
2. Brachytherapy 

 

• Freezing and heating prostate cancer:

 In freezing prostate cancer, very cold gas is used to freeze the prostate tissue. If repeated several times, it kills the cancer cells.

In heating procedures, high-intensity ultrasound energy is used to kill the tissue.

 

• Chemotherapy:

In this therapy, drugs are used to kill rapidly growing cells. This is given in the form of injections or pills. This is the best treatment option for prostate cancer that has spread to other tissues (metastasized).

 

 

 

 

 

References:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470550/
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6133140/#:~:text=Symptoms%20traditionally%20thought%20to%20correlate,erectile%20dysfunction%20and%20visible%20haematuria.
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9870033/
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3785898/#:~:text=Primarily%2C%20surgery%2C%20radiation%20therapy%2C,on%20clinical%20conditions%2C%20and%20outcomes.

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