7 Prostate Cancer Facts

About one in eight or 12.5% of men will receive a prostate cancer diagnosis at least once in a lifetime. Of those diagnosed patients, more than half are at least 65 years old. That makes it one of the leading causes of cancer in men, second only to skin cancer.

Fortunately, not all prostate cancer facts point to death. On the contrary, many give patients hope of conquering the disease. We’ll serve the truth about prostate cancer Monroe la in this guide, so keep reading.

1. Symptoms Are Similar to Other Diseases

Not all men experience prostate cancer symptoms, especially not in the early stage. Moreover, men who experience symptoms tend to attribute them to another condition. For instance, some think that painful urination is a sign of a urinary tract infection.

Although painful urination is a UTI symptom, it can also indicate prostate cancer. The same goes for erection problems, bloody urine or semen, and pain in the lower back or hips.

2. Most Prostate Cancer Cells Grow Slowly

Early prostate cancer can be asymptomatic because its cancer cells often grow slowly. Moreover, the cancerous cells are less aggressive than those in other types of cancer.

Thus, it can take years before prostate cancer starts causing problematic symptoms.

3. It Can Be Deadly

Prostate cancer deaths usually occur after it has metastasized to other organs. As a result, the invasion of the cancerous cells cause the affected organs to fail. Doctors refer to this as the advanced cancer stage.

4. Most Diagnoses Occur Before Metastasis

Since most prostate cancers grow slowly, doctors detect most cases before they spread. Indeed, nine in 10 diagnoses occur while the disease is still within the prostate region.

That’s excellent news, as it gives most patients a much better prostate cancer outlook.

5. Screening Can Help With Early Diagnosis

A digital rectal exam is one of the most common tests used for prostate cancer detection. Another is a method called the prostate-specific antigen (PSA). If there’s something amiss, doctors can then perform a biopsy.

Many experts recommend prostate cancer screening for men by the age of 55. However, if you have a first-degree relative who’s had it, it’s best to get screened even if you’re only 40 to 54 years old.

6. It’s Treatable

Prostate cancer kills, but its death rate has dropped due to increased treatments. One is the Provenge treatment, used for men whose cancer has advanced. Others include surgery, radiation therapy, cryotherapy, hormone therapy, and chemotherapy.

7. Early Detection Raises Survival Rates

Prostate cancer prognosis is highly favorable in cases detected and treated early. For instance, the 5-year survival rate for early-stage diagnoses is more than 99%.

That’s more reason to undergo screening, especially if you’re at risk.

Keep These Prostate Cancer Facts in Mind

As you can see, many of the prostate cancer facts listed in this guide are positive news. Still, always remember that it’s deadly, so never ignore any symptom you experience. It’s even more crucial to see an oncologist if someone in your immediate family has had it.

The earlier you get tested, the sooner you can confirm if you have this cancer, and the sooner you can get treatment.

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