Prostate cancer (PC)

What is prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer is usually a slow-growing carcinoma (cancer of epithelium/lining) in the prostate gland.  Cancer typically forms  in the prostate's glandular tissue, doubling in size every 4-5 years, but sometimes it is in the prostate muscle and connective tissue. Initially  cancer cells are confined to the prostate, present no symptoms and cause no harm, but in time they can metastasize (usually to bones or lymph nodes), at which time symptoms present and the risk of dying is significantly increased. That said, a man may have PC without even being aware of it - and in fact, almost 75% of men over 80 yrs who die of other causes have PC.

Some types of PC can be more aggressive - presenting  symptoms earlier than usual that may require treatment.

Prostate cancer symptoms

The purpose of the prostate gland is to produce fluid to nourish sperm and stimulate their motility - prostatic fluid makes up about 1/3 of semen.

Prostate 101

Key statistics about prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the second-most commonly diagnosed cancer in American men - after skin cancer;

• 1 man in 7 will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime - about 220,800 new cases in U.S. in 2015 (American Cancer Society data)
• Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer DEATH in American men - lung cancer is #1;
• About 1 man in 38 will die of prostate cancer - About 27,540 deaths in U.S.  in 2015 (American Cancer Society data)

Probability of getting prostate cancer increases with age -  mostly affecting males over age 50. About 6 out of 10 cases diagnosed are in men aged 65 or older, and it is rare before age 40. The average age at the time of diagnosis is about 66.

Prostate enlargement (Benign Prostate Hyperplasia or BPH - a major cause of problems in older men) may be associated with prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is significantly more predominant in the Western world compared to  Asian populations - suggesting a possible dietary/environmental link.  E.g. there is  ~60-fold difference in incidence rates and a 17-fold difference in mortality rates between the U.S. and China

Ferlay J, Bray P, and Parkin DM: GLOBOCAN 2000: Cancer incidence, mortality, and prevalence worldwide, Lyon, France: IARC Press, 2001.

Prostate cancer detection

Usually detected by a high Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) count  (although there are other tests more indicative of prostate cancer and its progress) - the PSA count is higher when the immune system is dealing with a prostate problem. A slightly raised PSA count could simply be due to an infection / inflammation of the prostate.

Ultra-scans and prostate biopsies - cancer tumors are typically found here and there throughout the prostate, and not as a single prostate cancer mass.