Prostate cancer

 

Introduction

 

When a man learns he has prostate cancer, he usually has many questions about what prostate cancer is and how the disease can be treated. It is also normal for men with prostate cancer, their families, and others close to them to have fears and concerns. Most men and those who care about them find that their distress eases as prostate cancer treatment begins and as they gain an understanding of the disease.

This Web site is for you and those close to you. It is designed to help you understand and cope with your illness. It explains prostate cancer, how it develops, and its effects. This site discusses the possible impact that prostate cancer may have on your life and how it can be treated. It also describes what doctors and other health care professionals know about treating the disease today.

This Web site will probably not answer all of your questions. As you read, you may wish to write down any questions you have so you can ask your doctor or health care professional at your next visit. Words in this Web site that may be unfamiliar to you are underlined and defined briefly in the Glossary of Medical Terms.

After you read the information in this Web site, you will probably want to talk further about your illness and treatment. By working with your doctor, you will plan the treatment that is best for you.

In addition to this Web site, there are several resources for information about prostate cancer available to patients. Local libraries, cancer societies, and support groups can help you find what you are looking for.

 

What is the Prostate?

 

The prostate is one of the male sex glands. The prostate adds nutrients and fluid to the sperm. During ejaculation, the prostate secretes fluid that is part of the semen. The other major sex glands in men are the testes and the seminal vesicles. Together, these glands store and secrete the fluids that make up semen.

The prostate is about the size of a walnut and can be divided into two parts referred to as the right or left lobes. It lies just below the urinary bladder and surrounds the upper part of the urethra. The urethra is the tube that carries urine from the bladder and semen from the sex glands out through the penis. As one of a man’s sex glands, the prostate is affected by male sex hormones. These hormones stimulate the activity of the prostate and the replacement of prostate cells as they wear out. The chief male hormone is testosterone, which is produced almost entirely by the testes.

 

What Should I Know About Prostate Cancer?

 

The cause of prostate cancer is unknown. However, it is known that the growth of cancer cells in the prostate, like that of normal prostate cells, is stimulated by male hormones, especially testosterone. Testosterone is produced almost entirely by the testes (95%), with only a small percentage (5%) being produced by the adrenal glands (small glands that sit above each kidney).

Compared with other types of cancer, prostate cancer is relatively slow growing. A man with prostate cancer may live for many years without ever having the cancer discovered. In fact, many men with prostate cancer will not die from it but with it. As a man gets older, his risk of developing prostate cancer increases. More than 70% of prostate cancers are diagnosed in men over 65 years of age.²

As the cancer grows, it may eventually squeeze the urethra, which is surrounded by the prostate. Then, symptoms such as difficulty in urinating may develop. This is usually the first symptom of prostate cancer. (It is important to note, however, that difficulty in urinating can be caused by other, noncancerous conditions of the prostate and does not always mean that prostate cancer is present.) With or without symptoms, a growing cancer also can begin to attack cells close to the prostate.