Prostate Cancer
Symptoms of prostate cancer
Prostate Cancer is a form of cancer that affects men. The prostate is basically a small gland that sits in the male pelvic cavity and is responsible for producing seminal fluid or semen, from its position under the bladder, surrounding the urethra. The testosterone hormone controls this gland.
Prostate cancer refers to the growth of a malignant mass of cells which can also be called a tumour. More about this cancer:
Risk Factors
Advanced age, a family history of the same disease, obesity as well as genetic changes can lead to the development of this kind of tumour.
Types
There are basically two types of prostate cancer, including fast growing or aggressive, and slow growing or non-aggressive. A malignant growth signifies prostate cancer. This tumour can grow at a fast pace for aggressive prostate cancer, while it can grow and spread slowly for the non-aggressive type.
Signs and symptoms of prostate cancer
During the early stages of prostate cancer there are usually no symptoms. Most men at this stage find out they have prostate cancer during a routine check up or blood test. When symptoms do exist, they are usually one or more of the following:
- The patient urinates more often
- The patient gets up at night more often to urinate
- He may find it hard to start urinating
- He may find it hard to keep urinating once he has started
- There may be blood in the urine
- Urination might be painful
- Ejaculation may be painful (less common)
- Achieving or maintaining an erection may be difficult (less common).
Here are some psychological impacts of prostate cancer
- Shock, fear or anger: These are immediate reactions and you could feel any or all of these feelings when the disease is first reported to you.
- Denial: Sometimes, you may feel well and deny the fact that you have prostate cancer or not realize you really do. Accept it! This is the first step to cure it.
- Frustration and disappointment: Try to avoid these types of feelings and if you do, as these are signs of depression.
- Stress: This is also a natural feeling and will haunt you till this disease is gone. However, there are many ways to help reduce it.
- Worrying: This is usually related to the side effects in the early stages of prostate cancer. Trust your doctor.
- Mood swings: This is one of the side effects of the hormone therapy used to treat prostate cancer. It may cause you to get angry and anxious and then tearful and depressed.
- Anxiety: Some men are overly worried about their prostate-specific antigen or PSA test results. The anxiety may continue even after the PSA test is over.
- Sense of loss: Hormone therapy causes many physical changes in your body, including weight gain, changes in your sex life as well as reduced physical strength. Few things will be the same after prostate cancer in all honesty.
If the prostate cancer is advanced the following symptoms are also possible
- Bone pain, often in the spine (vertebrae), pelvis, or ribs
- The proximal part of the legs can be painful
- Leg weakness
- Loss of Urinary control
- Loss of control over passing the stool
Diagnosis of prostate cancer
The doctor may conduct lab tests to check the blood, urine and other samples. Further, imaging tests like MRI and CT scans will also be conducted. A digital rectal exam and prostate biopsy will also help in effective diagnosis.
Treatment of Prostate Cancer
The treatment of this kind of cancer usually depends on the severity of the symptoms and the spread of the tumour. Doctor may recommend radiation, chemotherapy and surgery based on the age and health condition of the patient. If you happen to find even slight symptoms which could point towards this disease, do not hesitate to get in touch with the doctor.
You should know that treatment for pain is part of cancer treatment. It is important to resist the big myth that because cancer is a serious disease, pain is to be expected. Most people can get complete relief for their pain — or at least significant relief that allows them to enjoy the activities of daily life.
Like the other forms of cancer, prostate cancer can also metastasize and affect the other vital organs of the body (Advanced or metastatic Cancer). One of the body parts where the prostate cancer is most likely to metastasize first are the bones. As per the American Cancer Society, bone metastasis can give rise to a host of complications and discomfort including pain and hypercalcemia (elevated levels of blood calcium levels). There will also be severe bone damage with frequent bone fractures which can be quite painful. Thus, it is essential that the spread of prostate cancer is somehow controlled or slowed down. In this regard, the Bone Directed therapy (click on Bone cancer) deserves a special mention.
Are you suffering from pain?
Any cancer has only 4 treatments. Surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and pain relief treatment / pain management.
What is the stage of cancer? Stage decides the treatment. All advanced cancers cannot be treated by chemotherapy and / or radiation therapy. Chemotherapy / radiation therapy may not benefit in stage 4 cancer. Recent research tells that unnecessary chemotherapy may reduce quality & life span too. Pain is the most common problem in stage 3 or 4. Please remember Pain definitely can be controlled or treated at any stage of cancer. Even if you are taking ayurvedic treatment for cancer or homeopathic treatment, it will not help in pain relief – You must take pain management treatment. Pain relief is important for continuing any treatment. Pain relief needs dedicated pain management treatment usually offered by Pain specialist doctors. In addition to best cancer specialist, ACCN is proud to have best pain specialist doctor in Delhi and in India. Pain management and cancer treatment goes side by side. Demand a pain free cancer treatment.
One must always remember that in stage 3 / stage 4 / terminal cancer – palliative care and pain relief treatment is usually the priority treatment so that pain relief continues at home too. Pain free journey of cancer ie pain free cancer treatment helps in prolongation of life.
Advanced-Cancer Care Network, Delhi, India, with its branches (contact) at Delhi and Rohtak (Haryana) is a unique conglomeration of super-specialist doctors, who believe in well-being of human life. ACCN is the most advanced centre for stage 3 cancer, stage 4 cancer, advanced stage cancer, terminal cancer, Cancer pain management and palliative care. It offers the unique and state-of-the-art treatment for pain relief and cancer treatment in India.
Click on Pain relief in Prostate Cancer to know the best pain management methods at home for prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer in bone is a very frequent problem in breast cancer. Know more about it.
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Palliative care
Palliative care is designed to give symptomatic relief to the patient, control the side-effects of illness or treatment and improve quality of life of cancer patients. Palliative care treatment is provided by a medical specialist, other than oncosurgeon or oncologist. This medical specialist is known as “Pain & Palliative Care Specialist”. India has very limited number of such specialists and if you are also not able to find one for yourself, please contact ACCN (Advanced – Cancer Care Network), we are proud to have India’s best and most qualified Pain Specialists and Palliative Care Specialists.
Click on Understanding palliative care to know the palliative care treatment for stage 3 cancer or stage 4 cancer or advanced stage cervical cancer.
Role of Palliative Care Treatment
It is usually said that role of palliative care starts, when cancer becomes incurable or advanced stage or terminal or at end-of-life. It is one of the biggest myths in cancer treatment protocols. Palliative care specialist must be consulted and involved in the cancer treatment right from the first day when cancer is diagnosed and treatment is started. Initially when cancer is at stage 1 or 2, complete focus is on cancer cure and palliative care has minimal but very important role. As the cancer (if) progresses, gradually role of palliative care also enlarges. In stage 3 or stage 4. role of palliative care becomes much more important than other regular cancer treatments.
Click on How we can help to know about our various services for advanced cancer patients.
Click on Symptom control to understand that how we can provide suffering free life to advanced cancer patient.
Benefits of Palliative Care
- Makes patient feel better and stay active during treatment
- Manages side-effects of cancer treatment
- Facilitates as high a quality of life as possible
- Helps cancer treatments do a better job
- Can be curative as well as life-supporting treatment
- Cancer diet planning
- Improves survival outcomes
- Increases immunity levels
- Improves communication between patient and family members
- Maintains hope and stick to principals of ethics
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Note:-This information should not be used as a substitute for necessary consultations with an Oncologist or Cancer Pain Specialist or Palliative Care Specialist to meet your individual needs. Always consult a medically trained & qualified professional with questions and concerns you have regarding your cancer and cancer related problems.