Are you a man age 50 or over? If so, there are specific prostate cancer questions and answers you need to know. Without this knowledge, you could find yourself in trouble in facing the possibility of a premature death. However, with the proper information you may discover how to avoid the possibility of a premature death. This article will provide some of the prostate cancer information you need to know.
This article is not intended as a medical advice, nor should it be taken as a medical advice. It is for informational purposes only. As always with physical illnesses you should consult your personal physician right away. Please read on for more information.
1. What is the prostate and where is it located?
Answer: The prostate is a male sex gland about the size of a walnut. Its purpose is to secrete fluids that mix with the semen to protect the sperm. You will find the prostate gland around the bottom of your bladder and it surrounds the urethra, through which you pass urine and sperm from your body.
2. What are the odds of a man over 50 being diagnosed with a malingnacy of the prostate?
Answer: In the United States, if you are 50 years old or older, you stand a 1 in 6 chances of being diagnosed with a malignant tumor or tumors of the prostate. However, if you are of African-American and Hispanic heritage, you stand an increased chance of prostate cancer of 1 in 4.
3. What kind of symptoms normally show up in a prostate malignancy?
Answer: Unfortunately, symptoms may not show up for many years. The reason for this is because this type of cancer is so slow growing. However, when the symptoms do show up, they also may be caused by another medical problem and just not prostate cancer. The following is just a partial list of the symptoms:
a. Pain in the hips, lower back, pelvic region or even the upper thighs.
b. Difficulty urinating.
c. Difficulty in getting and maintaining an erection.
d. Passing blood in the urine or semen.
These are just a few of the symptoms. There are still others.
It is important if that if you are demonstrating any of these symptoms, you should contact your Doctor immediately.
4. Is it possible to detect a prostate malignancy early?
Answer: This question can be answered with a resounding YES. Currently, there are two primary tests, one of which is the Digital Rectal Exam (DRE). This test is performed by having the man bending over or laying on his side and Doctor inserts a finger up through the rectum to the prostate. The doctor can then determine if the prostate has hardened and increased in size.
Normally, if your doctor detects a hardening or increase in size of the prostate, he orders the second test. This test is often referred to as a PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) blood test. The purpose of the PSA is to detect if you have an increased level of prostate-specific antigen in your blood. The normal count is around four, and with a count of 6 or higher, your doctor may order more tests to determine if cancer is present in your body.
Thanks to the widespread use of these two test in men over 50 and earlier for the African-American man, more than ninety percent of prostate cancer is detected early. This early detection is responsible for a 98% survival rate of over 5 years for men with this type of malignancy.
These four prostate cancer questions and answers is just the tip of the iceberg that you should know. Once again, it is strongly recommended that you contact your attending physician and other medical professionals for specific answers to your questions.
*** Links removed by site staff so you won't look completly like a spammer.... Did you spend any time on our site to find most of the same information ***
Post Edited By Moderator (Steve n Dallas) : 7/29/2011 11:45:33 AM (GMT-6)