Archive for January, 2010

Knowing Your Cancer Risk with The Partner’s Program

Based on statistic from National Cancer Institute, prostate cancer is the most common cancer among American men after skin cancer.

According to the report, a lot of people made assumption that most American men are well educated about how to fight prostate cancer where to turn for more information and what support group an uncle or golf buddy relied on during their respective battles with this disease.

However, it’s sad to say this is not the case. While women regularly host breast cancer awareness and fund-raising walks across the country, men have been less proactive on matters related to their prostate health, including essential measures such as soliciting second opinions and researching treatment options. The result of this passive approach is that the average man does not always make good, informed decisions about his prostate health care.

A program is encouraging men to alter their approach to health care, at least when it comes to battling prostate cancer. Us TOO International Prostate Cancer Education and Support Network, along with Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization, have founded the “Partner’s Program” to help men with prostate cancer and their partners face the diagnosis together, encourage them to seek information regarding prostate treatment options, and ultimately, make more well-informed treatment decisions.

This program clearly responds to an unmet need. There is a survey found that, although the majority of men with prostate cancer have heard of both surgery and radiation as treatment options, up to 38 percent don’t know that other treatments, such as hormonal therapy, even exist. Even more alarming, less than 50 percent of prostate cancer patients take the time to get a second opinion on their diagnosis or proposed treatment. These facts are sure to concern anyone who loves a man at risk of developing prostate cancer.

The good news for wives and partners is the survey found that men don’t want to face prostate cancer treatment choices alone, making a resource like the “Partner’s Program” attractive for both men and women. While men are not typically as open as women on subjects such as prostate cancer, the survey found that almost 70 percent of men age 50 and older indicated that they would like their partner to play an active role in the process of choosing an appropriate course of therapy.

Now, with the help of the “Partner’s Program,” the average American man may become more proactive about his health of prostate and reduce the prostate cancer risk.

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Psa Bounce After Radiation Therapy For Prostate Cancer: Keeping An Eye On The Ball

Prostate specific antigen (PSA) is a protein produced by the prostate gland. It is measured in the blood stream and is a useful tool for following men who have been treated for prostate cancer. Does a PSA elevation after radiation treatment, be it a prostate seed implant and/or external beam radiation therapy, always signify disease recurrence?

In the past, a PSA elevation after a prostate seed implant or external beam radiation therapy was considered to be a harbinger of a prostate cancer relapse, often prompting expensive tests and invoking a great deal of patient anxiety. Then, when the PSA level climbed to10 ng/ml or greater, men were placed on hormonal therapy. Since the latter is associated with a number of unpleasant side effects, it is desirable to refrain from using hormonal therapy unless necessary. The question then arises: when does an increase in the PSA level not signify that cancer has returned?

There is a phenomenon known as a PSA bounce, in which the PSA level jumps up within one to three years after the man has completed radiation therapy. The PSA level eventually returns to the baseline it attained just after treatment. PSA bounce may be caused by death of the damaged cancer cells that release their PSA.

A PSA bounce usually begins with less than a one-point (less than 1 ng/ml) rise in the PSA level. Also, elevations of the PSA level after three years are less likely to be part of a bounce, and unlike a bounce, rises of the PSA level by more than 1.2ng/ml are less likely to drop back to their starting points.

A recent study collected data on 7,500 men who were treated for prostate cancer with radiation therapy. Nearly half of these men were found to have a PSA bounce. However, there was no adverse effect on their survival. In fact, these men fared just as well as men whose PSA did not bounce. Also, patients who show such a PSA bounce less than two years after treatment may be less likely to have cancer return later.

More good news is now that physicians are aware that an elevation in the PSA level does not necessarily mean prostate cancer has recurred, men whose PSA bounces after radiation therapy can be followed by their doctors, who can repeat the PSA blood test six months later.

Dr. Kornmehl is the medical director of Radiation Oncology at Passaic Beth Israel Regional Medical Center, Passaic, NJ and author of the critically acclaimed consumer health book, “The Best News About Radiation Therapy” (M. Evans, 2004). Her website is http://www.RTSupportDoc.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carol_Kornmehl
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All You Need to Know About Prostate Cancer PSA

What is PSA?

PSA or prostate-specific antigen is produced by the prostate gland; it is essentially a protein and is found in the blood. Men with prostate cancer have higher antigen blood levels than normal. This type of test is done to measure the level of this antigen in the blood. The use of this test is approved by the FDA to detect the presence of prostate cancer in older men. The cancer test for prostate cancer is also approved by the FDA for patients with prostate cancer history in order to check if there is recurrence of the cancer.

If a man’s level of this particular particle is very high it is possible that cancer is present though there could be other reasons for the elevation. Several factors are taken into account by doctors while taking the cancer of the prostate testing. Blood samples are usually taken during the this type of cancer testing and the antigen amount is measured in a lab. Prostate-specific antigen is also called a “tumor marker” or a “biological marker” because it is utilized to detect diseases and is produced by body cells.

Men usually have a low level of this particle in the blood but cancerous or benign tumors can increase the man’s PSA level. As a man gets older prostate cancer levels are common. Some of the harmless and benign cancer conditions are:
• Inflammation of the prostate (prostatitis)
• Enlargement of the prostate (BPH – benign prostatic hyperplasia).

These levels alone do not give the doctor enough information to determine whether the patient has a benign prostate condition or cancer. However, a test such as this and the results will be taken into consideration when checking for signs of prostate cancer.

Why are these tests done?

Doctors use the DRE (Digital rectal exam) and the PSA tests to help detect the presence of prostate issues in men that show no symptoms. If a man’s PSA levels begin to rise then it could be a sign of recurrence of cancer especially if the man has a history of this type of cancer. However, just one high PSA test level does not necessarily mean that the cancer has returned. A man with a history of this type of cancer should see his doctor about his increased level that has been detected during a cancer of the prostate PSA test. The doctor most probably will recommend that a second cancer test be taken to confirm a recurrence.

A man receiving hormonal therapy for prostate cancer is bound to have these levels that are low soon after or during his treatment. This may not be an accurate measure of his PSA level and thus the man should consult his doctor who may then advise waiting for a period after undergoing hormonal treatment before taking a prostate cancer test.

Recommendations by doctors for taking these types of tests vary. While some encourage men over 50 years of age to have yearly screening others advise high risk men for prostate cancer to start screening at 40 to 45 years. Still others advise against any type of routine screening. Every man must be aware of the benefits and risks involved in these types of tests.

Go to Prostate Cancer PSA to get free information on this product. This website will give you all of the information you need on Cancer along with a lot of other free information. Don’t miss out on this new website if you are looking for more information. Find us at http://prostatecancerpsa.org/blog/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Millbank

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Prostate Cancer – Which Treatment Is The “Correct One”?

The cancer illness can be attacked by many working methods. No other kind of cancer has so many possibilities. But we do not know to today yet, whether also only one of the possible types of treatment is value, the life of patient with Prostate cancer to extend. Naturally, results from it that for the patients in addition, for the treating physician for a certain working method to decide to have itself.

However often the expertise of the before and disadvantages is missing to the patient. The treating physician is however often technically embarrassed and partial. the Urologist’s tell it for years after that a radical operation should be made and the only working method it is. However, we forgotten that there are no hard proofs for it. It’s could be affected also by a financial motivation. (the interference costs between $20’000 and 30’000).

The radiologist recommends of course naturally the irradiation and that holistic oriented expert wants its “alternative” working methods applied. The patient is advised well to catch up a second or third specialized medical opinion before it decides for a working method. A working method for Prostate cancer is “Watchful Waiting”.

Beside the treatment procedures of the “radical operation” or the irradiation treatment wins this methodology and meaning. Although neither for the operation nor for the irradiation treatment proofs for a concrete survival advantage for the patient is present, these procedures in highest place stand.

Still will “Watchful Waiting” to treat (without the cancer observe decisive therapy) reluctantly by many physicians in addition, patients concerned by around perhaps only later with coming problems. “Watchful Waiting” is one of expert recognized treatment strategy for many patients.

For example, we know that in the USA only 1 patient of eight patients at the consequences of the illnesses will die. The problem is, we can not forecast, which of the eight patients with died present possibilities of treatment has the largest chances. Even if we knew, there is no warranty the fact that the present possibilities of treatment this man to heal or would extend its life. This points us out that we are in a problem of the ways to the treatment.

Conclusion: Let’s you guide from your own feeling. Reading all over this sickness and let you know a second opinion of a doctor of your confidence.

About the Author : The Health-Service set up the problems of the cancer treatments for prostate cancer on the point. Everbody must know the reality before he made a decision. http://www.cancer-info.info Cancer prostate website. Source: www.isnare.com
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The Risks of Developing Prostate Cancer and What Can be Done by Way of Prevention

Over the years there has been a great deal of debate about prostate cancer and the subject of preventing prostate cancer specifically remains rather controversial. Although, as with most cancers, men are not themselves the cause of their own prostate cancer, there are clearly various risk factors for developing the disease and there is a lot that can be done, if not to actually prevent it, then without question to lower your risk of developing it.

The first step in prostate cancer prevention is to understand that you are at risk of getting the disease and to know just what the different risk factors are.

There can be no doubt that men with a family history of prostate cancer are at higher risk and that the risk for someone with a close relative suffering from the disease is about twice that of someone without any family history. If you have two close relatives this risk increases to around five times that of somebody with no family history and if you have three close relatives the risk reaches an almost incredible ninety-seven percent.

The problem here is that many men do not know their family history, frequently because many fathers, grandfathers or brothers have died as a result of other illnesses without even being aware that they had prostate cancer. This happens because prostate cancer will often develop late in life and can be a very slow growing form of cancer. As a result there is a very good chance of individuals developing other conditions together with their prostate cancer and it is these other conditions which ultimately result in their death.

Accordingly, if you do not know your family history, then a good starting point is to check things out if you can. If it is not possible, then it is probably best to err on the side of caution and to assume that you might be at risk rather than assume that you are in the clear.

Another very important factor is race. For example, African American men are at higher risk than Hispanic men who, in turn, are at greater risk than Caucasian men. For an African American man the risk is about sixty percent greater than that for a Caucasian man.

Yet another risk factor is diet and men who live in Western countries such as the United Kingdom or the United States are at increased risk because of the high levels of fat in most Western diets. Here at last is a risk factor that you can actually do something about and lowering the fat in your diet and eating such things as more vegetables and fresh fruit can reduce your risk quite dramatically.

At this point we begin to get into difficulty because, beyond the principle of reducing levels of fat in the diet, views begin to differ when it comes to looking at other aspects of the diet that could be helpful in preventing prostate cancer.

There is little if any doubt that levels of such things as vitamins and minerals in your diet can have a dramatic affect on your health generally and will undoubtedly have a role to play when it comes to prostate health. But, working out just which vitamins and minerals play a role is not a simple matter and is a subject all of its own.

About the Author:Visit ProstateProblemCenter.com for information on a range of prostate problems including details about the therapeutic effects of prostate massage
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – The Risks of Developing Prostate Cancer and What Can be Done by Way of Prevention
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