“Prostate” is a male sex gland that produces a thick fluid which forms a part of the semen. The size of the prostate gland is about a walnut and it is located underneath the bladder and just in front of the rectum.
What causes prostate cancer?
What causes prostate cancer has not yet been fully identified. But, it is usually associated with a high fat, high-meat, and low-vegetable diet. Moreover, if you have a strong history of prostate cancer in your family then you’re definitely at a greater risk of developing it.
Ethnicity is believed to play another important role in the development of prostate cancer. For instance, Afro-Caribbean or African-American men are more likely to suffer from this disease than Asian men.
Symptoms to watch out for
It doesn’t really show any symptoms at an early stage, but whenever it does, they usually include the following ones:
o Difficulty or stoppage in urination
o A really thin and weak stream of urine
o The need to urinate more often than usual
o Pain while urinating
o Blood or patches of blood in the urine
o Tenderness or stiffness in the lower back, pelvis and hips
It's important to be aware of the fact that there are numerous other diseases that have the same symptoms as prostate cancer.
Diagnosing
If diagnosed at an early stage, treating prostate cancer can be easy. Thus, it is important to be aware of the symptoms and if you see any of these persisting, immediately check up with your physician.
Usually a physician will examine you and carry out a digital rectal examination. He may also conduct certain blood tests, x-rays or scans. In a few complicated cases, the physician may even opt for a biopsy of the prostate. It will clearly indicate if you have prostate cancer or not.
Treatment
If the cancer is limited to the prostate than it’s called “Localized” and can be managed by observation and surgery. If the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, then it’s called “Advanced” and is often treated using hormone therapy.
Can it be prevented?
It is believed that if you have a healthy, low-fat diet it may actually help in preventing prostate cancer. For that, you are required to eat a lot of vegetables and fruits throughout the day and avoid consuming red meat, processed meat, and other food items that have high percentage of fat in them.
Moreover, you should have plenty of selenium, vitamin E and lycopene in your diet. It is believed that these substances protect you against prostate cancer.
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