| The prostrate is a walnut-sized gland found only in | | | | traces of blood can be seen. There is a sensation of |
| males. It surrounds the urethra near the neck of the | | | | inadequate emptying of the bladder. Impotence or |
| bladder, in front of the rectum. It secretes seminal | | | | painful ejaculations are other important symptoms. As |
| fluid to nourish the sperm, and ejects it during | | | | stage three of the cancer starts, it spreads to the |
| ejaculation. We know the prostrate less for its role in | | | | adjoining area. Prostrate cancer cells attack the |
| the reproductive system than for the problem it | | | | bones as they advance. A deep bone pain in the legs, |
| creates in the form of prostrate cancer. One in six | | | | hip and backbone should alert the patient about the |
| American males gets prostrate cancer, and one in | | | | possibility of this disease. When it reaches stage four, |
| thirty-two dies of it. It is the second most fatal | | | | the cancer cells are transported by the lymphatic |
| cancer after lung cancer. The onset of cancer starts | | | | system and bloodstream and create secondary |
| as the person ages, and blacks are more prone to it | | | | tumors in the lymphatic nodes, called metastatic |
| than whites. It runs in the family, though no specific | | | | prostrate cancer. |
| genes have been isolated. The peak incidence of | | | | Diagnosing prostrate cancer is done in stages. When |
| cancer starts in the age group of 65-75. | | | | DRE needs further investigation a Prostrate Specific |
| Prostrate cancer progresses very slowly in most | | | | Antigen (PSA) test is done, which indicates the |
| cases, and does not have any specific symptoms | | | | possibility of cancer. A biopsy done using a number of |
| during its early stages. Most of the time it is | | | | samples from different areas of the prostrate should |
| detected during a simple medical inspection by a | | | | confirm the presence of cancer. The treatment |
| Digital Rectal Exam (DRE), which prompts further | | | | options are radical prostatectomy, radiation therapy |
| investigations to confirm cancer. | | | | and hormone therapy. But, as most of the patients |
| As the cancer progresses, the gland throttles the | | | | are old and the progress of the disease is slow, |
| urethra, which causes the first symptoms. The | | | | many men opt to wait, observe and seek only |
| frequency of urination increases and it is very weak. | | | | symptomatic relief. |
| There is burning pain during urination, and some | | | | |