The Prostate And Its Effects On Male Life

The prostate is a small gland, roughly the size of a walnut. It sits below the urethra (the tube urine passes through), just in front of the rectum, and it is mostly glandular tissue with 30% being muscular. The prostate is a very important gland that produces the fluid that helps carry sperm when a male ejaculates.

One of the worst effects the prostate can have on a male is prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths in males and will affect nearly ten percent of all men at some point in their lifetime, although the survival rate for prostate cancer has improved dramatically over the past twenty years.

How does prostate cancer start?

Prostate cancer begins as a malignant tumor in the prostate gland; over time it can spread into the nearby bone, lymph nodes and other types of tissue and organs located in the same area.

What are the risk factors involved?

More than 70% of people affected with prostate cancer are over the age of 65 years.

Men who have close blood relatives like their father or grandfather who have had prostate cancer are eleven times more likely to develop prostate cancer at some point in their lives.

The death rate in men with prostate cancer increases the more obese a man is.

Men of Caucasian descent are over two times more likely to develop prostate cancer than those of African descent.

What can I do to stop myself getting prostate cancer?

There is nothing you can do to stop yourself from getting prostate cancer although there is some belief that having a healthy diet can reduce the possibilities.

Diagnosing prostate cancer

There are a few different tests that can be carried out to see if a male has prostate cancer. These can vary from a digital rectal exam to a biopsy.

The digital rectal exam requires a doctor with a gloved hand to put a lubricated finger into the anus and feel the area of the rectum where the prostate sits against on the other side. The doctor will be able to feel if the prostate has become enlarged or bumpy through the tissue of the rectum.

A biopsy means the doctor will take a number of tissue samples from the prostate; these samples are then taken to a lab where they are checked under a microscope for cancerous cells.

There are two more types of examination. One is an ultrasound called a trans rectal ultrasound, which can detect abnormal growth of the prostate in the same way the digital rectal exam does, and the other is the PSA (prostate specific antigen) test. The PSA test measures the amount of prostate specific antigen substance in the bloodstream. In the average male it is four nanograms per millimeter. If the amount is higher then the male is at greater risk. The PSA test cannot actually detect cancer, but can tell the doctor if there is a need to look further.

• Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
• Bph Prescriptions
• Treatment Of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
• Corpora Amylacea -- What Is This Prostate Problem?
• Diagnosing Prostate Cancer
• Diagnosis Of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (bph)
• The Different Types Of Prostate Problem Diagnosis
• Disorders Of The Prostate
• Do You Have Prostate Cancer? You Are Not Alone!
• Fats, Red Meat, And Prostate Cancer
• Problems Of The Prostate Gland
• Good Nutrition And Prostate Cancer
• How Prostate Surgery Affects Sexual Function
• Are Prostate Problems Part Of Aging?
• New Hope For Men With Prostate Cancer
• Prostate Cancer Treatment
• Prostate Cancer
• Prostate Cancer
• Functions Of The Prostate Gland
• Prostate Inflammation Or Prostatitis
• Prostate Problems And The Risk Factors
• Prostate Problems And Their Psychology
• Prostate Problems Unveiled
• Prostate Problems
• General Prostate Problems, Symptoms, And Treatment
• Prostatitis: Another Prostate Disorder
• Risk Factors For Developing Prostate Cancer
• Sources Of Support For Prostate Cancer Patients And Their Families
• Surgery To Correct Prostate Problems
• Surgical Treatment For An Enlarged Prostate
• Symptoms Of An Enlarged Prostate
• Testing For Prostate Problems
• The Different Types Of Hormone Therapy
• The First Step In Diagnosing Prostate Problems
• The Life Cycle Of A Prostate Problem
• The Most Radical Treatment Of Prostate Disease
• The Prostate And Its Effects On Male Life
• The Prostate And Its Foe
• The Prostate Epidemic
• The Prostate Specific Antigen Test: How Does It Work?
• The Prostate: What Is It, Where Is It Found, And What Is Its Function?
• The Prostate
• There Are Limits To The Psa Test!
• Three Common Prostate Disorders
• Treating Prostate Cancer With Hormone Therapy
• Treatment For Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
• Treatments For Prostate Cancer
• Understanding Staging And Grades Of Prostate Cancer
• What Can You Expect After Prostate Surgery?
• What Is Bph And What Are Its Symptoms?