I was surprised to read researchers found that seventy five
percent of men over fifty were not able to identify the
prostate’s main function correctly. That is a bit troubling as
they are group likely to have problems.
About one man in nine will be diagnosed with prostate cancer
during his lifetime, but only one in thirty nine will die of
this disease. About 80% of men who reach age eighty have cancer
cells in their prostate. According to the American Cancer
Society, prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in US
men, behind skin cancer.
The prostate is about the size of a ping pong ball, weighs about
an ounce, and is located between the base of the penis and the
rectum. The gland is responsible for supplying seminal fluid
that mixes with sperm, helping it survive and travel from the
testes.
Just over one-third of respondents were able to correctly
identify associated disorders, such as Erectile Dysfunction
(ED), and benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). Benign prostate
hyperplasia (BPH), and erectile dysfunction (ED) are separate
problems, but curable. BPH causes problems in the bathroom and
ED in the bedroom. A range of treatments can relieve enlarged
prostate symptoms, such as medications, minimally-invasive
office procedures, and surgery.
Prostate cancer comes
in many varieties and most are slow growing and non-life
threatening. However, there are some that escape the prostate
and move to other parts of the body. These are called metastatic
prostate cancer and can grow in organs, bones, lymph nodes, etc.
The PSA test is a blood
test used primarily to screen for prostate cancer. It measures
the amount of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in the blood. A
score of less than 4 is considered a safe level, 4 to 10 is
suspicious, and above that is considered dangerous. PSA is a
protein produced by both cancerous and noncancerous tissue in
the prostate. The test became very popular and led to more
aggressive treatment than necessary, so lately doctors are less
apt to prescribe the test for men over 70, because many types of
prostate cancer are slow growing. The problem is that some are
fast growing and if not caught, could be fatal. Another test is
the uncomfortable rectal finger test to find abnormalities on
the prostate surface.
Bottom line is that it
is good to be tested and not to fear the word cancer when it
comes to prostate. Ninety two percent of men who have caught it
early survive and die of other causes, not because of the
cancer.