Archive for January, 2010

Prostate Cancer Free Yourself From Worry Know Your Options

Like other cancers, the cause of prostate cancer is not known; it appears to be more common in African American men and men with a family history of the disease. Prostate cancer is normally a slow growth cancer that can take years before it becomes deadly. Simply put, cancer that grows in the prostate gland is called prostate cancer.

The prostate is a small, walnut-sized structure that makes up part of a man’s reproductive system; it wraps around the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of the body – because of this can cause various urinary problems. If you have prostate cancer, are concerned about getting it, or if you’re looking out for the health of someone you love, this article can help. The second leading cause of cancer deaths among men in the U.S. is from prostate cancer.

Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease are bone pain or tenderness, and abdominal pain. One of the most common symptoms is the inability to urinate, get checked right away. Some men will experience symptoms that might indicate the presence of prostate cancer.

The need to urinate frequently, especially at night is another symptom. Most prostate cancer symptoms, although associated with prostate cancer, are more likely to be connected to non-cancerous conditions. One prostate cancer symptom is difficulty starting urination or holding back urine.

Your doctor may use either one or two of the most common tests for prostate cancer detection. The decision about whether to pursue a PSA test should be based on a discussion between you and your doctor. A chest x-ray may be done to see if there’s a spread of cancer.

There are several potential downsides to PSA testing; for example a high PSA does not always mean a patient has prostate cancer. A prostate gland biopsy usually confirms the diagnosis. A PSA test with a high level can also be from a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland.

Surgery, radiation, hormonal therapy and chemotherapy all have significant side effects; know fully what they are before you proceed. Medicines can be used to adjust the levels of testosterone; called hormonal manipulation. If chemotherapy is decided upon after the first round of chemotherapy, most men receive further doses on an outpatient basis at a clinic or physician’s office.

Urinary incontinence can be one of the possible complications of surgery. Thoroughly discuss all your treatment options and concerns with your doctor and other health professionals; it never hurts to get a second or even third opinion or more if necessary – don’t be afraid to ask. Chemotherapy medications are often used to treat prostate cancers that are resistant to hormonal treatments.

Be aware that some men choose natural treatment options and forgo any surgery, radiation or chemotherapy. Surgery is usually only recommended after thorough evaluation and discussion of all available treatment options. Surgery, called a radical prostatectomy, removes the entire prostate gland and some of the surrounding tissues.

OHSU is beginning a study of acupuncture as a treatment for hot flashes for men with prostate cancer or prostate cancer survivors. Many men simply want the best treatment they can get but what’s important is choosing the best treatment for you. The conventional treatment of prostate cancer is often controversial.

If you’re not already doing so, make a serious effort to watch your diet closely. Use flaxseed oil or walnut oil in your daily dark green salad. Eat high-fiber snacks like raw nuts (soak them overnight first), raw seeds, and dried fruit, such as dates, and figs.

Making a ginger tea, by adding a thin slice or two of fresh gingerroot to hot water, is helpful to many people I know. Eat foods that contain the essential fatty acids. For natural treatment for the prostate make an appointment with a naturopathic doctor, called a naturopath; ask around for referrals.

Buy lacinato kale and juice it in your juicer with sweet carrots. Add a small handful of kale or spinach to your fruit smoothie and blend– know one will ever know. Make highly nutritious raw applesauce using a food processor and put in 3-4 cored pesticide-free apples, with the skin on, and mix for a minute; so much better for you than canned highly processed applesauce and add 1/4 tsp. cinnamon or two tablespoons of freshly ground flaxseed for another boost.

While the number of men diagnosed with prostate cancer remains high, survival rates are also greatly improving; perhaps because of dietary improvement. The one thing that you should not do however is rely on information obtained from the Internet to make your final decision; double-check everything. Make sure to read everything you can about natural and conventional treatment online and offline.

About the Author:For more information on prostate cancer treatments and prostate cancer symptoms go to http://www.BestProstateHealthTips.com Helen Hecker R.N.’s website specializing in prostate and prostate cancer tips, advice and resources, including information on prostate tests and natural prostate cancer treatments
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Prostate Cancer Free Yourself From Worry Know Your Options
Technorati Tag: Prostate Cancer

Related articles by Cancer Treatment Pro
prostate cancer treatment

Prostate Cancer Myths and Facts

1. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer, other than skin cancers, in American men. It is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men, behind only lung cancer, and accounts for 9% of cancer-related deaths in men. The American Cancer Society estimates that during 2008, about 186,000 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in the United States. 30% of prostate cancers occur in men under age 65. About 1 man in 6 will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime, but only 1 man in 35 will die of it. More than 2 million men in the United States who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point are still alive today.

2. Different prostate problems sometimes have similar symptoms. For example, one man with prostatitis and another with BPH may both have a frequent, urgent need to urinate. A man with BPH may have trouble beginning a stream of urine; another may have to urinate frequently at night. Or, a man in the early stages of prostate cancer may have no symptoms at all.

3. One prostate problem does not lead to another. For example, having prostatitis or an enlarged prostate does not increase the chance for prostate cancer. It is true that some men with prostate cancer also have BPH, but the two conditions are not automatically linked. Most men with BPH do not develop prostate cancer. But because the early symptoms for both conditions could be the same, a doctor would need to evaluate them. It is also possible to have more than one condition at a time. This confusing array of potential scenarios makes a case for all men, especially after age 45, to have a thorough medical exam that includes the PSA test and DRE every year.

4. The PSA blood test determines whether you have cancer of the prostate. The test measures how much of a protein essential to human reproduction, PSA (prostate-specific antigen), is in your blood. PSA turns your gelatinous pre-semen into a liquid, thus supporting ejaculation. If your PSA is below 4, most doctors agree that you needn’t be tested again for a year. During annual tests, remember that it is normal for your reading to go up by a few tenths of a point every year. In general, only a drastic increase in PSA (an increase of at least 0.75 points or 20 percent) is considered a reason to worry. This test is recommended on an annual basis for all men over 50 (and for men above 45 if there is a family history of prostate problems)

5. Over 100 million men in the world suffer from symptoms of BPH (Prostate Enlargement). By the time you are 60, there is a 50% chance that you’ll have BPH. By the time you are 85, there is a 90% probability that you’ll have BPH.

6. Prostate Cancer is the second most common cancer in men and the second leading cause of cancer death in men. 1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with Prostate Cancer during their lifetime

To check your International Prostate Symptom SCore Visit www.india-herbs.com/aff/securepage/ayurstate
About the Author:This article is courtesy www.india-herbs.com/aff/1001/ayurstate
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Prostate Cancer Myths and Facts
Technorati Tag: Prostate Cancer

Related articles by Cancer Treatment Pro
prostate cancer

Prostate Cancer – Causes, Signs and Symptoms, Treatment and Prognosis

Prostatic cancer is the most common cancer in men over the age of fifty.

Adenocarcinoma is the most common form.

Prostate cancers seldom produce symptoms until the cancer is in the advanced stage so early diagnosis is essential as in the early stages the disease is curable.

Location and Function

The Prostate is an organ forming part of the male reproductive system. It is located immediately below the bladder and just in front of the bowel. Its main function is to produce fluid which protects and enriches sperm.

In younger men the prostate is about the size of a walnut. It is doughnut shaped as it surrounds the beginning of the urethra, the tube that conveys urine from the bladder to the penis. The nerves that control erections surround the prostate.

Signs and Symptoms of Prostate Cancer

• Waking frequently at night to urinate

• Sudden or urgent need to urinate

• Difficulty in starting to urinate

• Slow flow of urine and difficulty in stopping

• Discomfort when urinating

• Painful ejaculation

• Blood in the urine or semen

• Decrease in libido (sex urge)

• Reduced ability to get an erection

Most men tend to accept the onset of one or more of these symptoms as being a natural consequence of ageing. However, anyone experiencing any of the above symptoms is advised to consult a doctor without delay. Early expert diagnosis and treatment of tumors is important and may avert potentially serious health consequences.

Prostate carcinoma is usually one of the slower growing cancers. In the past, it was most frequently encountered in men over 70, and many of those men died of other causes before their prostate tumour could kill them. This led to the old saying “most men die with, not of, prostrate cancer”.

However, that is certainly is not true today. Three developments have changed things considerably:

• Men are living longer, giving the cancer more time to spread beyond the prostate, with potentially fatal consequences.

• More men in their early sixties, fifties and even forties are being detected with prostate cancer. Earlier on-set, combined with the greater male life expectancy, means those cancers have more time to spread and become life-threatening unless diagnosed and treated.

• Prostate cancer in younger men often tends to be more aggressive and hence more life-threatening within a shorter time.

Risk Factors and PSA Testing

Risk factors for prostate cancer include diets high in fat and low in vegetables. Risk factors include; age, 75% of cases are in men over 65 years and familial sufferers. Prostate cancer is most often discovered by physical examination or by screening blood tests, such as the PSA (prostate specific antigen) test.

The PSA test measures the blood level of prostate-specific antigen, an enzyme produced by the prostate. The risk of prostate cancer increases with increasing PSA levels.

The majority of men who reach age 85, in fact, have cancerous prostate cells, but the disease is developing so gradually that it never threatens their quality of life.

Genetic factors play a role, particularly for families in whom the diagnosis is made in men under 60 years of age, and the risk of prostate cancer rises with the number of close relatives who have the disease.

Preventative measures

Researchers at Harvard University found that men who ate cooked tomatoes or foods made with them (tomato sauce or ketchup, for instance) more than twice a week were less likely to develop prostate cancer.

Daily use of anti-inflammatory medicines such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen may decrease prostate cancer risk.

Frequent ejaculations also seem to have a definite protective effect against Prostrate cancer.

Many prostate cancers are not destined to be lethal, and most men will ultimately die from causes other than of the disease. Because many prostate tumors are slow growing, survival rates are excellent when the disease is detected in its early stages.

Treatment Options for Prostate Cancer

The most appropriate treatment is primarily determined by the stage and aggressiveness (how quickly it is growing and spreading) of the disease when it is discovered. Detecting prostate cancer early is the key to beating the disease.

Many factors affect the decision whether or not to treat the disease: the patient’s age, whether the cancer has spread, the presence of other medical conditions, and the patient’s overall health.

Treatment for prostate cancer may involve watchful waiting, surgery, radiation therapy including brachytherapy and external beam radiation, High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU), chemotherapy, cryosurgery, hormonal therapy, or some combination.

Because all treatments can have significant side effects, such as erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence, treatment discussions often focus on balancing the goals of therapy with the risks of lifestyle alterations. Natural treatments for prostate cancer symptoms are also worth looking at.

About the Author:Dick Aronson has been involved in the healthcare industry for 35 years. He has written numerous articles on the subject and runs a number of informative websites, viz: rel="nofollow" href="http://www.cancerinformation-online.com/">Go to Cancer Information-online , rel="nofollow" href="http://www.Prostateinformation-online.com/">Go to Prostate Cancer Information and rel="nofollow" href="http://www.healthinnovationsonline.com/">Go to Health Innovations
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Prostate Cancer – Causes, Signs and Symptoms, Treatment and Prognosis
Technorati Tag: Prostate Cancer

Related articles by Cancer Treatment Pro
prostate cancer symptoms

From A Nurse – Help For Prostate Cancer Symptoms

Men younger than 40 are rarely ever diagnosed with prostate cancer but should be vigilant, never-the-less. The most common cancer in American men, excluding skin cancer, is prostate cancer. You may have just been diagnosed with prostate cancer and don’t know what to do; the first thing to do is don’t panic, generally it’s slow-growing – next change your diet to living foods.

If you have prostate cancer, are concerned about getting it, or if you’re looking out for the health of someone you love, this article can help. Early prostate cancer is confined to the prostate gland itself; most of the patients with this type of cancer can live for years without any problems. The prostate gland is located directly beneath the bladder and in front of the rectum.

Blood in the urine or semen and frequent pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips, or upper thighs can be symptoms of cancer. Most prostate cancer symptoms, although associated with prostate cancer, are more likely to be connected to non-cancerous conditions. Because prostate cancer symptoms can mimic other diseases or disorders, men who experience any of these symptoms should undergo a thorough work-up to determine the underlying cause of the symptoms.

Some men will experience symptoms that might indicate the presence of prostate cancer. The need to urinate frequently, especially at night is another symptom. One prostate cancer symptom is difficulty starting urination or holding back urine.

The decision about whether to pursue a PSA test should be based on a discussion between you and your doctor. CT scans may be done to see if the cancer has metastasized (spread). A urinalysis may indicate if there is blood in the urine, which may or may not be related.

There are several potential downsides to PSA testing; for example a high PSA does not always mean a patient has prostate cancer. A PSA test with a high level can also be from a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland. When a digital rectal exam is performed it often reveals an enlarged prostate with a hard, irregular surface.

Surgery, radiation therapy, and hormonal therapy can interfere with libido on a temporary or permanent basis. Be aware that some men chose natural treatment options and forgo any surgery, radiation or chemotherapy. Impotence is a potential complication after a prostatectomy or after radiation therapy.

Urinary incontinence can be one of the possible complications of surgery. Recent improvements in surgical procedures have made complications occur less often. The approaches to treatment include: just ever watchful waiting to see whether the cancer is growing slowly and not causing any symptoms.

The conventional treatment of prostate cancer is often controversial. Whether radiation is as good as removing the prostate gland is debatable and the decision about which to choose, if any, can be difficult. Many men simply want the best treatment they can get but what’s important is choosing the best treatment for you.

Thoroughly discuss all your treatment options and concerns with your doctor and other health professionals; it never hurts to get a second or even third opinion or more if necessary – don’t be afraid to ask. Surgery is usually only recommended after thorough evaluation and discussion of all available treatment options. Radiation therapy to the prostate gland is either external or internal, both of which use high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors.

Eat a lot of fruits and veggies every day, not just a token banana or apple. Buy lacinato kale and juice it in your juicer with sweet carrots. If possible eliminate all hormone-containing foods like meat and dairy from your diet.

Concentrating on a diet of predominately fruits and vegetables (preferably uncooked) and no junk food, should give you an observable improvement in your health within 30 days. For natural treatment for the prostate make an appointment with a naturopathic doctor, called a naturopath; ask around for referrals. Make highly nutritious raw applesauce using a food processor and put in 3-4 cored pesticide-free apples, with the skin on, and mix for a minute; so much better for you than canned highly processed applesauce and add 1/4 tsp. cinnamon or two tablespoons of freshly ground flaxseed for another boost.

Eat at least one, preferably two organic apples with the skin on every day. Add a small handful of kale or spinach to your fruit smoothie and blend– know one will ever know. Get familiar with juicing and juice every day for an extra phytonutrient boost.

If you haven’t been diagnosed but are concerned about symptoms you should call for an appointment to see your doctor; and if you’re a man older than 50 who has never been screened for prostate cancer (by rectal exam and/or PSA level determination) or not had a regular annual exam, or have had a family history of prostate cancer, make an appointment soon. Make sure to read everything you can about natural and conventional treatment online and offline. The one thing that you should not do however is rely on information obtained from the Internet to make your final decision; double-check everything.

About the Author:For more information on prostate cancer treatments and prostate cancer symptoms go to http://www.BestProstateHealthTips.com Helen Hecker R.N.’s website specializing in prostate and prostate cancer tips, advice and resources, including information on prostate tests and natural prostate cancer treatments
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – From A Nurse – Help For Prostate Cancer Symptoms
Technorati Tag: Prostate Cancer

Related articles by Cancer Treatment Pro
prostate cancer symptoms
 Page 3 of 3 « 1  2  3