PROSTRATE CANCER

PROSTRATE CANCER
Prostate cancer is cancer that occurs in the prostate and one of the most common types of cancer in men. Usually prostate cancer grows slowly and is initially confined to the prostate gland, where it may not cause serious harm/damage. However, while some types of prostate cancer grow slowly and may need minimal treatment, other types are aggressive and can spread quickly and rapidly. Prostate cancer that's detected early when it's still confined to the prostate gland has a better chance of successful treatment.

SYMPTOMS
Prostate cancer might not show symptoms in its early stages.

Prostate cancer that's more advanced may cause symptoms such as:

• Trouble urinating.
• Decreased force in the stream of urine.
• Blood in semen.
• Discomfort in the pelvic area.
• Bone pain.
• Erectile dysfunction.

CAUSES
It's not clear what causes prostate cancer. Doctors know that prostate cancer begins when some cells become abnormal in your prostate. Mutations in the abnormal cells' DNA cause the cells to grow and divide more rapidly than normal cells grow and divide. When other cells die, the abnormal cells continue living. The accumulating abnormal cells form a tumor that can grow to invade nearby tissue. Some abnormal cells can also break off and spread to other parts of the body.

COMPLICATIONS
Complications of prostate cancer and its treatments include:

Cancer that spreads (metastasizes):- Prostate cancer can spread to nearby organs, such as your bladder, or travel through your bloodstream or lymphatic system to your bones or other organs. Prostate cancer that spreads to the bones can cause broken bones and pain. Once prostate cancer has spread to other areas of the body, it may still respond to treatment and may be controlled, but it's likely not to be cured.

Incontinence:- Both prostate cancer and its treatment can cause urinary incontinence. Treatment for incontinence depends on the type you have, how severe it is and the likelihood it will improve over time. Treatment options may include medications, catheters and surgery.

Erectile dysfunction:- Erectile dysfunction can result from prostate cancer or its treatment, including surgery, hormone or radiation treatments. Surgery, vacuum devices that assist in achieving erection and medications are available to treat erectile dysfunction.

PREVENTION
Risk of having prostrate cancer can be reduced if you:

1. Choose a healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables:- Avoid high-fat foods and instead focus on choosing a variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Fruits and vegetables contain many vitamins and nutrients that can contribute to your health.

2. Whether you can prevent prostate cancer through diet has not yet been conclusively proved. But eating a healthy diet with a variety of fruits and vegetables can improve your overall health.

Choose healthy foods over supplements:- No study has shown that supplements play a role in reducing risk of prostate cancer. Instead, choose foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals so that you can maintain healthy levels of vitamins in your body.

Exercise most days of the week:- Exercise improves your overall health, helps you maintain your weight and improves your mood. Men who don't exercise have higher PSA levels, while men who exercise may have a lower risk of prostate cancer.

Try to exercise most days of the week:- If you're new to exercise, start slow and work your way up to more exercise time each day.

Maintain a healthy weight:- If your current weight is healthy, work to maintain it by exercising most days of the week. If you need to lose weight, add more exercise and reduce the number of calories you eat each day. Ask your doctor for help creating a plan for healthy weight loss.