Useful Prostate Cancer Information
For men, getting the best prostate cancer information is important if they are diagnosed and want to stay informed about their cancer.
Prostate cancer is a disease that impacts the lives of many men, and those who are diagnosed need to get all of the best prostate cancer information. Even those who have not been diagnosed with this disease need to know what their risk factors are and how to get a prostate cancer screening. A doctor will be able to tell men what kind of symptoms to look out for, as well as describe some of the most common treatments for this cancer.
In order for a doctor to tell if a man has prostate cancer, a PSA test is often administered. This is a blood test, and if the level is high a man has a much higher chance of having cancer. While this doesn’t necessarily mean that there is cancer, but more tests will need to be performed. Another common test is a digital rectal exam in which a doctor will feel the prostate and see if there any abnormalities. This could be a bump or a hard spot on the prostate. Then, a sample may need to be taken from the prostate for a doctor to look at under a microscope. This will give people more prostate cancer information.
Once the prostate cancer screening has been completed, there are several treatment methods available. For men that are healthier, surgery or radiation could be an option. Treatment options also depend on whether or not the cancer has spread anywhere else in the body. Doctors will remove the cancerous areas from the prostate, and there are several new types of surgery that can improve pain and reduce recovery time. There are also several types of radiation, and the newest photon beam therapy can help to keep healthy tissues intact while destroying the cancerous cells. For men who are not healthy enough to undergo these treatments, there may be hormone therapy or watchful waiting. Hormone therapy can help to reduce the amount of testosterone the body makes. Testosterone can feed the cancer, so removing it can help to keep the cancer from getting worse.
There are many different ways to treat cancer, and a doctor will be able to explore treatment options based on how healthy a man is and how severe the cancer is. All of the information that a man can get about their illness will help them to best look out for their interests, and ensure that they are getting all of the proper treatment.
