info@africacancerhub.com
Forum

PROSTATE CANCER

The prostate is a walnut shaped gland in the pelvis, found in men that produces  the thick white fluid that transports sperm  . It is located between the penis and the bladder, and surrounds the urethra.

For reasons not yet understood, prostate cancer is more common in men of African-Caribbean or African descent, and less common in Asian men.

Types of Prostate cancer

Ductal adenocarcinoma

This starts in the cells that line the tubes of the prostate gland.

Acinar adenocarcinoma

These are cancers that develop in the gland cells that line the prostate gland. They are the most common form of prostate cancer.

Squamous cell cancer

They develop from the thin flat cells that cover the prostate. They tend to grow faster than adenocarcinoma of the prostate.

Small cell prostate cancer

It is a type of neuroendocrine cancer and is made up of small round cells. They tend to grow more quickly than the other types of prostate cancer.

Symptoms of Prostate cancer

Prostate cancer does not usually cause cancer until it is large enough. It may go undetected for years.

  • an increased need to pee
  • straining while you pee
  • a feeling that your bladder has not fully emptied
  • blood in the pee or semen
  • pain when peeing or ejaculating.

These symptoms should not be ignored, but they do not mean you have prostate cancer as they can mimic other conditions.

Causes/risk factors of Prostate cancer

It is not exactly clear what causes prostate cancer. However, factors that can increase your risk of prostate cancer include:

Age:

The risk  increases as men get older. It is more common in men aged over 50, though younger men can still develop it.

Race

Black men have a much higher risk of getting prostate cancer than white men. They also tend to get diagnosed in younger black men than white men.

Family link

There may be a possible inherited link from a close family member and the risk will be increased of getting prostate cancer.

Being overweight and diet

Being overweight and having a diet high in fats and sugar, eating processed foods can increase the risk of developing prostate cancer or advanced prostate cancer.

 

These symptoms should not be ignored, but they do not mean you have prostate cancer as they can mimic other conditions.

Diagnosis

Prostate screening

Prostate screening tests may help pick up prostate cancer early. The tests include:

Digital rectal exam (DRE)

During this a  procedure, your doctor inserts a gloved, lubricated finger into your rectum to examine your prostate.  If your doctor finds any concerns, further tests will be carried out.

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test.

The PSA  is a substance that is produced by your prostrate gland. A blood sample is drawn from a vein and analysed for PSA. It is normal  for a small amount of PSA to be in your bloodstream. A higher than normal level may mean there is prostate infection or enlargement, inflammation or cancer.

Tests to diagnose prostate cancer include:

Ultrasound

A small probe is inserted into your rectum to create a picture of the prostate gland.

Biopsy

This is done to collect cells from your prostate and then sent to a lab to be analysed to check if cancer cells are present.

Imaging tests

Scans like MRI, CT, bone and PET  can be used to check the location of the cancer and where it has spread to, if it has.

Staging

Stage 1

The tumour is still contained in the prostate and is too small to be felt when a doctor does a rectal exam or to be seen on a scan.

Stage 2

The tumour is still contained in the prostate and but can be felt when a doctor does a rectal exam

Stage 3

The cancer has started to spread from the prostate into nearby tubes that produce semen.

Stage 4

The cancer has spread into other organs such as the bowel and bladder or bones. This is usually called advanced prostate cancer.

Treatment

Watchful waiting

You may be advised that no treatment is needed if you have been diagnosed with early or low-grade prostate cancer. You may have regular blood tests to monitor your PSA and a prostate examination.

Surgery

This might be carried out to remove the entire prostate gland (radical prostatectomy) using an open surgery or key hole surgery. You may have surgery to take out part of the prostate,  if the cancer is pressing on the tube that carries urine from the bladder. This will enable you to urinate more comfortably. You may also have surgery to remove the testicles to reduce testosterone levels in your body (orchiectomy).

Radiation therapy

This uses high-powered energy to kill cancer cells. It can be given as external beam radiation (radiation that comes from outside of your body), or placing radioactive seeds in the prostate tissue (brachytherapy).

Hormone therapy

The male hormone testosterone is responsible for making prostate cancer grow. Hormone therapy is used to stop your body from producing testosterone, thereby making the cancer cells to die or grow slowly. It can also be used in advanced prostate cancer to shrink the cancer and slow the growth of tumours.

Immunotherapy

This uses your body’s immune system to fight cancer cells. This therapy can be used to treat advanced prostate cancer. This treatment takes some of your own immune cells, genetically alters them in a laboratory, which is then injected back into your body.

 

REFERENCES

https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/prostate-cancer#treatment

https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/prostate-cancer

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/prostate-cancer/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353093

Menu