By: arnold nerenberg Men are vulnerable to prostate cancer. This kind of cancer is one of the common cancers especially to American men. Prostate cancer questions and answers are important so that a man can avoid acquiring it or even detect prostate problems symptoms. After all, “prevention is better than cure”. Here are basic questions and answers about it: What is prostate? Prostate is “a gland in the male reproductive system that produces the majority of fluid that makes up the semen, the thick fluid that carries sperm. The walnut-sized gland is located beneath a man's bladder and surrounds the upper part of the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder. Prostate function is regulated by testosterone, a male sex hormone produced mainly in the testicles.” How does it grow? When does it occur? This cancer grows very slowly. According to doctors, prostate cancer occurs when cells in the prostate gland grow out of control. Are there prostate warning signs? It is sad to note that there are no early prostate cancer warning signs. However, there are some men who confess that they have prostate infection symptoms like difficulty in urinating and/or discomfort. What are options for treating a person with prostate cancer? There are six options that a prostate cancer patient can choose: surgery, chemotherapy, cryotheraphy, hormonal therapy, and/or radiation. The earlier the signs of prostate cancer in men are noticed or detected the better. This is to avoid much complex medical processes. For those who do not have early symptoms prostate cancer, doctors usually recommend “watchful waiting.” A patient is observed for some time until the doctors are able to know the root and the possible cure for it. What are the misconceptions of prostate cancer? The top three (3) myths about it are the following: #1. Although prostate cancer is prevalent, only a few men die from it. This is absolutely wrong. Based on survey, prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among men. #2 Elderly men are the ones susceptible to acquiring prostate cancer. Because there are no early signs of prostate cancer in men, this does not exclude the younger ones. Young men are not excused with this disease. The only truth in this myth is that some men who are in their 40's or 50's are diagnosed with prostate cancer. # 3 You do not have prostate cancer if you do not have prostate problems symptoms. There is a test called PSA test. This is for prostate cancer screening. Without the prostate problems symptoms or prostate cancer warning signs does not mean that you do not have it. To make sure if you have it or not, have PSA test. What is PSA test? What are its uses? PSA stands for Prostate Specific Antigen. Wikipedia says it is a protein produced by the cells of the prostate gland. PSA is present in small quantities in the serum of normal men and is often elevated in the presence of prostate cancer and in other prostate disorders. A blood test to measure PSA is considered the most effective test currently available for the early detection of prostate cancer. The rising level of PSA over time are associated with both localized and metastatic prostate cancer.
