Prostate Cancer Symptoms & Screening

Here's what most of us know about the prostate: Only men have prostate glands, a doctor should examine your prostate at some point and cancer can affect the organ. Other than that, many men don't give the prostate much thought.

The problem? The prostate is the source of cancer for one in seven men and is the second most common cancer among men. That's why it's important to learn more about your prostate and how to protect you and the men in your life from prostate cancer.

What Is A Prostate?

The prostate is part of the male reproductive system. It is a walnut-sized gland that sits below the bladder and surrounds the urethra, the tube through which urine and semen pass out of your body. The fluid it produces nourishes and transports sperm.

What Are The Symptoms Of Prostate Cancer?

In the early stages, prostate cancer doesn't cause any symptoms. Usually prostate cancer grows slowly, but as it progresses to an advanced stage you may experience signs such as:

• Frequent urination
• Weak urine flow
• Erectile dysfunction
• Blood in urine or semen
• Pelvic discomfort

These signs can also indicate other illnesses. If you have any of them, you should see a specialist in urological services (a doctor who focuses on conditions of the male reproductive system) for an evaluation.

What Are Risk Factors For Prostate Cancer?

Prostate cancer is rare in men younger than 40, but the chance of having prostate cancer rises rapidly after age 50, according to the American Cancer Society. About 60 percent of prostate cancers are found in men older than 65.

Because prostate cancer has no early warning signs, it's important for men to get screened for prostate cancer, especially if you have risk factors like:

• Advanced age: Your risk of developing prostate cancer increases as you get older. Men ages 50 and older are at higher risk. Almost 2/3 of all prostate cancers are found in men over age 65.
• Being African-American: Prostate cancer occurs more frequently in African-American men - and they're more likely to have an aggressive form of the disease. "Interestingly African-American men have a much higher of prostate cancer than both white men and Asian men," radiation oncologist Sandeep Bhave, MD, an independent physician who practices at the Franciscan Health Indianapolis Cancer Center, told RTV6 news. "For that reason, African-American men should discuss with their doctor about screening around the age of 45."
• Family history: If prostate cancer or breast cancer runs in your family, you may have an increased risk of developing prostate cancer. "If you have a family history of prostate cancer, it's prudent start talking to your physician about screening at age of 40," Dr. Bhave said.
• Diet: Men who have a diet high in red meat or high-fat dairy foods and low in vegetables and fruits may have a greater chance of getting prostate cancer. "If you have a high fat diet, reducing the amount of fats in your diet can also reduce your risk of prostate cancer," Dr. Bhave said.
• Exposure to chemicals in the workplace. Men who were in contact with toxic chemicals at work may have a higher risk for prostate cancer. This includes firefighters. There is also some evidence that men who were exposed to Agent Orange, which was used during the Vietnam War, might be at higher risk for prostate cancer. But the exact link is not clear.

What Is Prostate Cancer Exam Like?

The key in treating the disease is early detection and Franciscan Health physicians urge men at risk to discuss screenings with their primary care physician.

Screening for prostate cancer typically includes a rectal exam to feel for prostate enlargement and nodules and a blood test, called a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test.

"Prostate cancer detection often can be found by testing for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels in the blood or by digital rectal exam," said Michael Eaton, MD, medical director for Franciscan Health Cancer Center in Indianapolis. "If cancer is identified through either of these approaches, further testing may be required before an effective treatment plan is devised."

"In about 90 percent of cases, you can treat prostate cancer for a cure, and outcomes are very, very good," Dr. Bhave said. "There are many different treatment options for patients, including surgery, radiation therapy, hormonal therapy or a combination. For the vast majority of men, they should see their doctor for prostate cancer to be cured."

What Is The Treatment For Prostate Cancer?

Your doctor will consider many things when he recommends a prostate cancer treatment for you. "Depending on a patient's case and the stage of their disease, treatment options may include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, vaccine treatment or hormone therapy," said Dr. Eaton. "If the cancer stage is low, it may only require watchful waiting and active surveillance through PSA testing."

When it comes to prostate cancer care, Franciscan Health provides an individualized, hands-on approach to delivering high-quality prostate cancer treatment. Its multidisciplinary program provides patients with access to a team of leading experts in urology, medical oncology, radiation oncology, pathology and several others to help fight prostate cancer.

The program also provides patients with advanced imaging, including MRI, cancer nurse navigators and access to the latest treatment options and therapies including Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), hormone therapy and chemotherapy, as well as research and clinical trials. Franciscan Health surgeons also perform minimally invasive surgery using the da Vinci^® Surgical System.