A Glimpse Into The Prostate Gland And The Effect It Can Have On Male Life

The male prostate is a small gland that is about the the same size as a walnut and is situated below the bladder and just in front of the rectum. A very important gland, the prostate produces the fluid that helps carry sperm.

A major problem which can and frequently does strike the prostate is prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is a serious and life-threatening condition which presently strikes approximately ten percent of all men and is the second most common cause of cancer death in men today.

Just how does prostate cancer start?

Prostate cancer begins life as a malignant tumor in the prostate gland which, if left untreated, is likely to spread over time into the nearby tissue and organs and into the bone and lymph nodes.

What are the risk factors involved?

More than 70% of people suffering from prostate cancer are over the age of 65.

Men with family members like a grandfather or father who have had prostate cancer are up to 11 times more likely to contract prostate cancer.

The death rate from prostate cancer rises with weight and is especially high in obese men.

Caucasian men are over two times more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than those of African decent.

What can I do to stop myself getting prostate cancer?

There is really nothing you can do to stop yourself from developing prostate cancer although there is some belief that following a healthy diet can lower the possibilities. At the moment there is little if any substantive evidence to support this view.

How to go about diagnosing prostate cancer.

There are a number of tests for prostate cancer including the PSA test, a digital rectal exam and a biopsy.

The PSA blood test measures the level of a prostate specific antigen in the bloodstream. High PSA levels are not an indication of prostate cancer but are a marker for a possible problem that should be investigated further.

The digital rectal exam requires a doctor to put on a glove and place a lubricated finger into the anus so that he can feel the prostate gland for enlargement or irregularity.

In the case of a prostate biopsy the doctor will take several small tissue samples from the prostate gland which will then be examined under a microscope for evidence of abnormal cells.