Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men in America, with approximately one in eight men diagnosed during their lifetime. It usually occurs in men 65 years of age or older. Doctors generally suggest that patients begin testing in the mid-fifties. But if you are predisposed to the disease (prostate cancer is more likely for black men and for anyone with a family history of the disease), you should talk to a medical professional about the possibility of having an exam beforehand.
According to Dr. Mark Pomerantz, a medical oncologist at the Lank Center for Genitourinary Oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, many people are hesitant to get tested because of the assumption involved in a digital rectal exam. (Digital as on a finger, not on a computer.) While checking the prostate that it may be useful, it has not been the main method used by doctors since the mid-1990s. Your doctor is likely to start with a PSA (prostate specific antigen) blood test. If you need high levels, additional control will need to be done.
Screening is important because many people diagnosed with prostate cancer have no symptoms. The most common symptoms, such as changes in urination, difficulty with erections, and bone pain, can also pass to men as they age for reasons that have nothing to do with cancer. By being specifically selected, you will be in the best position to spot things soon.
A cancer diagnosis may be understandable. There is a lot of fear associated with the news and a lot of questions about what comes next. But the positive point of a positive prostate cancer diagnosis is that once you know something isn’t working, you can start figuring out what to do about it.
How serious is the diagnosis of prostate cancer?
Although prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among men in the United States after lung cancer, the five-year survival rate for people with prostate cancer is 98%. The ten-year survival rate remains extremely high when the disease is carefully and, if necessary, aggressively controlled.
In other words, while no type of cancer diagnosis is good news, prostate cancer is not usually fatal. After recovery, men will need to continue with periodic checkups and tests. Some may need ongoing hormone therapies. There is a wide spectrum of prostate cancers. Some exist in patients but move so slowly that they will never cause problems during their lifetime. Others can spread very quickly. Once prostate cancer is discovered, the doctor will be able to give the appropriate treatment.
What type of treatment will you need?
The type of treatment you need depends on the aggressiveness and progression of the cancer. Generally, prostate cancer is treated with surgery, radiation, or some combination of both. If surgery is required, Dr. Pomerantz points out that patients can wait one night in the hospital with a four- to six-week recovery. During this stage, you will be able to perform most of the day-to-day activities, but heavy lifting and vigorous physical exertion should be avoided.
Radiation treatment for the prostate is usually done for four to eight weeks, Monday through Friday. Radiation is often accompanied by hormone therapies that can last up to two years, which has been shown to be synergistic with treatment. Then patients should expect a more or less complete physical recovery, except for possible side effects.
What are the side effects of prostate cancer after recovery?
Surgery for prostate cancer occurs in a very busy neighborhood of the body. There are nerves that run through the prostate that are responsible for sexual function and continence. If the nerves are damaged, men may have problems with erectile dysfunction or bladder control. Although prostate cancer surgery is fairly straightforward, it is difficult to leave the nerves intact afterwards. Your urologist will talk to you about how to avoid any harm.