Prostate Cancer Warning Signs

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While cancer facts are easily obtainable on the internet and from your doctor, if you or someone you care about is diagnosed with cancer, panic sets in. The good news is that cancer is no longer a death sentence. Treatments for the disease are improving with time and research, and one day the expression ‘finding a cure for cancer’ may cease to be synonymous with doing something almost impossible.

So what is cancer? One of the best known cancer facts is that it has something to do with tumours and the word tumour is often used interchangeably with cancer. However, it is possibly for a tumour to be benign and therefore pose no threat to the individual concerned. (A benign tumour is one which does not invade other cells or parts of the body.) A malignant tumour, on the other hand shows uncontrolled growth, invades and possibly destroys nearby tissues and may show metastasis as well (i.e. spreading to another part of the body).

Amongst the little known cancer facts is the fact that cancer may not even be painful, depending on its location. Another of the cancer facts that could surprise you is that it can even be caused by some types of poisonous mushrooms and a toxin that can grow on peanut plants. (Don’t let that put you off peanuts, though, peanuts are harmless.)

Other encouraging cancer facts include the fact that the number of deaths to cancer is actually down from previous years. This could be because people today are more health conscious and are cutting down on unhealthy activities like smoking. They are also careful about overexposure to UV rays which can cause cancer. More good news in cancer facts is that there’s more and more awareness of the disease and organisations worldwide are teaming up to fight cancer.

While cancer is a notoriously difficult disease to treat, with patients sometimes needing three or more doctors (specialists in different areas), who may not always agree with each other, patients should not give up. Positive thinking and will power evidently work as well with cancer as they do with other illnesses, with patients making apparently miraculous recoveries because of their will to survive.

Statistical cancer facts may not be available to prove this, but faith in their religion can help a patient through the tough times that come with having cancer. Most importantly, never ever lose hope.

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Prostate cancer: the facts

If prostate cancer is detected in time, then it might be prevented. It is therefore advised that you get to know the facts and fictions about its signs and how to seek treatment.

Myth 1: I don’t have any signs of prostate cancer, so I can’t possibly be having the disease.

Truth: When in its initial stage prostate cancer mostly does not show any signs. However as the disease increases you start to have urinary problems or painful hips or pelvis. Much as these are also prostate cancer symptoms do not be alarmed as these signs can also be brought about by non-cancerous prostate complications. However if you have any of the above mentioned symptoms please do not hesitate to contact your doctor. You can also visit the Prostate Cancer Charity web page for more beneficial tips.

Myth 2: If my doctor or GP recommends that I undergo a Prostate Specific Antigen test or PSA that is proof that I have prostate cancer.

Truth: PSA testing can help detect complications in the prostate gland; however PSA is not mainly connected to prostate cancer. The PSA is present in all men?s blood and so its level can be influenced by a number of things, for example age, infection and a number of medicines. There are also some complications not unrelated to prostate cancers that may influence it thus making its levels high. However is your PSA test results are low, is not an assurance that you are prostate cancer free. This is mainly because cancer in its initial stages does not change the PSA level.

Myth 3: If I have prostate cancer,  can I infect my spouse?

Truth: Prostate cancer cannot be passed on from one person to another be it different sex or same sex. It is also important to note that since women don’t have prostate glands, then there is no way they can get prostate cancer.

Facts:

1. Prostate cancer is the leading form of cancer in the UK. Out of 35,000 men who are detected to be suffering from prostate cancer, 10,000 of them die from it annually.
2. There is a chance of survival if prostate cancer is detected early since it can be controlled.
3. There are two kinds of prostate cancers: the ‘pussycats’ and the ‘tigers’. Pussycats are minor, sluggish in growth, and not likely to affect you. This kind of cancer might not require instant handling. The ‘tigers’ are destructive and reach past the prostate glands. Scientists are attempting to differentiate between the two cancers during tests so that men can be accorded the appropriate remedies.

Prostate Specific Antigen test

The PSA ascertains if the levels of prostate specific antigen available in the blood is normal. If it is high, it means that there is a chance that it could be prostate cancer.

The benefits of PSA test:

• It could save your life by showing traces of prostate cancer even It may indicate prostate cancer ahead of any signs.
• By detecting cancer, it may save your life when you seek treatment before it becomes malignant.

Drawbacks of the PSA test:

• It might not detect cancers at its initial stages.
• In the event that your PSA level is high, you shall require detailed analysis that might have a threat to you live and also after effects. It is known that about two thirds of men who have high levels of PSA don’t suffer from prostate cancer.
• It cannot differentiate between the two forms of prostate cancer, the tiger and pussycat. That means that it can detect a ‘pussycat’ form of prostate cancer that would have otherwise not have brought you any complications or even death.

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