Consumer Guide to Prostate Cancer
Prostate Cancer
Prostate Exam
Prostate Cancer Treatment Options
Ongoing Care
Causes of Prostate Cancer & Treatment
Experts do not know the exact cause of prostate cancer, but there are a few factors which they believe increase the chance of getting prostate cancer. The chances of developing prostate cancer seems to be higher with age, a family history of prostate cancer, and from eating a high-fat diet. Research has also shown that ethnicity, hormones, and environment may be factors that contribute to the causes of prostate cancer.
Contributing Factors of Prostate Cancer
Age - Age increases the chance of getting prostate cancer. After the age of 50, the chance of getting prostate cancer increases substantially. More than 70% of the men diagnosed with prostate cancer are at least 65 years old.
Family history - While most men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer have no family history of the disease, a man's chance of getting prostate cancer is higher than the average man if he has a close relative, such as a father or brother, who also were diagnosed with prostate cancer. The chances increase more if the family member was younger than 55 years of age when he was diagnosed.
Researchers have not been able to determine why there is a difference between the races, some theories look at the possibility of genetics or health care. A western high-fat diet may also play a role, as Asian men living in America develop prostate cancer more than Asian men living in Japan or China.
Diet - The chance of getting prostate cancer seems to be linked to a high fat diet and obesity. Studies show that a man is more likely to develop prostate cancer and not survive it if he lives in a country where high-fat diets are common than a man who lives in a country where low-fat diets are common. Theories suggest that fat speeds up the production of the hormone testosterone, which may contribute to the growth of prostate cancer cells.
High testosterone levels - Men with high levels of testosterone (such as those with hypogonadism or those who use testosterone therapy) have a greater chance of getting prostate cancer than men with lower levels of the hormone. This is due to the nature of testosterone to stimulate growth of the prostate gland. Testosterone used for hormone treatments may also speed up the growth of prostate cancer that is already present.
Prevention of Prostate Cancer
While prostate cancer cannot be prevented, eating a healthy, low-fat, high-fiber diet are thought to help decrease the chances of developing the disease. Recommended foods that should be included in the diet are soy products (tofu and soy beans), tomatoes, food that contain tomato sauce, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage. Dietary supplements may also be a healthy choice, and studies are being done to test the benefits of vitamins D and E, selenium, and green tea in helping to prevent prostate cancer.
Symptoms of Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer in the early stages does not usually produce any symptoms. If a man is diagnosed with prostate cancer at an early stage of the disease, he probably has not experienced any symptoms. In men older than 80 with prostate cancer, about 60% to 70% of them do not have symptoms. Some men, however, may have some of the following symptoms, difficulty or discomfort with sexual function, urination problems, deep pain in the lower back, hips, or upper thighs.These symptoms may also be signs of other diseases, including Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), Prostatitis, or Urinary Tract Infection. Symptoms that may indicate that prostate cancer has spread to other parts of the body (metastasized) include weight loss, swelling (edema) in the feet and legs, and bone pain in the lower abdomen, hip, pelvis, or lower back. Men with any of these symptoms should visit their doctor for a thorough examination.