Prostate Cancer Myths Revealed

Myth 1. Men with prostate cancer do die but not of it
In fact, each 6th male gets diseased with prostate cancer and each 35th dies of it. With some forms of cancer a male may live for years, however, remember that prostate cancer is second disease among cancers which ends up with death.

Myth 2. There is no need to undergo examination because specialists are not sure in its effectiveness
In fact, main aim of examination is to detect the disease at its early stage when the treatment is still effective. There do exist two methods of examination: PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) test and digital rectal examination. Specialists do recommend to make both of them.

Normally, small amounts of prostate specific antigen are found in blood. PSA rate in blood do increases in prostate cancer, prostatitis and benign prostatic hyperplasia. Like most tests, PSA test not provides 100% accuracy of diagnosis. In some cases is performed examination with the help of invasive methods such biopsy of prostate gland. On the other hand, PSA test results may be normal even if male has prostate cancer.

Since 1990 when PSA test was introduced in clinical practice, the mortality from prostate cancer was reduced. However, not all specialists think that PSA test is the cause of mortality lowering. Up to now do not stop discussions about the necessity of monitoring health of all males with the help of PSA test. However, men over 50 are recommended to make PSA test. In case man has in his family males (father, brother) who had prostate cancer, he must start examinations at 45 years old.

Myth 3. Man becomes impotent  after prostate gland removal
In fact, prostatectomy is the surgical removal of prostate gland damaged by cancer. Sometimes nerves that control erections may be affected. At first months after surgery most men face different forms of erectile dysfunction. It depends on male age, erection before surgery and way of surgical intervention how long this dysfunction will persist. Surgery that helps to avoid damage of nerves do reduces risks for erectile dysfunction development. If needed, erection may be maintained with injections into penis and special devices.

Myth 4. All men after prostatectomy do suffer from involuntary urination
In fact, involuntary urination is one of side effects of surgical removal of prostate gland. In most men it clears up after several weeks or months after surgery. According to statistics, in 5 years after surgical intervention about 1\3 of men suffer from stress-inducing involuntary urination when laughing and coughing. Serious problems with involuntary urination occur only in 5% of cases. Risk for involuntary urination lowers when surgery is performed by experienced specialists in large cancer centers.

Methods Of Prostate Cancer Treatment. Part One.

Today do not exist standard methods of prostate cancer treatment because there were no performed controlled studies to compare various treatment methods. It is hard to choose optimum method for prostate cancer treatment, especially at early stages, as effectiveness of surgery, radiotherapy and expectant management is not established yet. When choosing treatment method, are considered stage of cancerous process, male age, duration of recurrence-free period, complications risks, patient's regards and doctor's facilities.

Major methods of prostate cancer treatment:
1) Expectant management.
Benefits of definitive therapy (surgery in combination with radiotherapy or hormonal treatment) of prostate cancer are not proven today. However, there exists method of expectant management in which treatment starts only when tumor is localized and has no frank growth. This method is used in older men with severe concomitant diseases and slowly growing well-differentiated tumors. Here no treatment is performed, however patient must be under permanent monitoring: he must regularly check PSA rate in his blood. You must know that even in very careful selection of patients for using this treatment method, 10% of patients die.

2) Surgery (radical prostatectomy).
Radical prostatectomy is major method of prostate cancer treatment. For the first time this surgery was performed in 1904. However, this method was not popular among patients and surgeons because of frequent complications such as incontinence of urine and impotence. Today are developed operation techniques which help to reduce to the minimum blood loss, and save normal function of bladder sphincter and sexual function.

The prognosis after surgery depends on the disease stage. At early stages  when lymphatic glands were not damaged, the rate of 10-year survival after surgery is 80%. Survival rate in cases of large invasion is 40%. Unfortunately, in cases of lymphatic glands damage and gonecyst invasion the remote metastasis are inevitable which significantly worsens the prognosis. Sometimes after surgery, when there are doubts in full removal of tumor, is used radiotherapy or hormonal therapy. However, today is not proved the effectiveness of these combinations.

Prostate Cancer Myths

Myth #1. Diseased with prostate cancer die but not from it

In fact, every sixth man diseases with prostate cancer, but dies of it only every thirty fifth man. There is possible to live with some forms of cancer for years, but do not forget that prostate cancer is a second oncologic male disease with fatal cases.

Myth #2. There is no need to undergo examination because doctors do quarrel about its effectiveness

In fact, the main aim of examination is to detect disease at early stages. There are two kinds of examinations: blood test on Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) and digital rectal examination. Doctors do not quarrel the necessity of both those examinations.

Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) normally is detected in blood in small amounts. The level of PSA usually raises when prostate cancer, and also when prostatitis and innocent hyperplasia of prostate. As most of analysis, PSA-test does not guarantee 100% diagnostic accuracy. In some cases invasive methods are used for examination (prostate biopsy).

On the other side, results of PSA can be normal even when prostate cancer. Since 1990, when PSA was introduced in clinical practice, mortality from prostate cancer is lowered. However, some doctors are not sure that PSA is the reason of that.

Quarrels about necessity of men health examination with PSA still take place. However, the examinations to detect prostate cancer are recommended for men over 50. If your nearest relatives (father, brother, uncle) were diseased with prostate cancer, you should start examinations at 45. Is it worth or not is a personal question.

Myth #3. After prostate removal a man becomes impotent

In fact, prostatectomy is a surgical procedure to remove prostate gland affected with cancer. Sometimes during this operation nerves controlling erection can be affected. After operation most of men face with such a problem as erectile dysfunction. How long problems will last depend on the man's age, erection before operation and on kind of surgical intervention.

The operation allowing to avoid nerves damage lowers risk of erectile dysfunction progress. If necessary, it is possible to keep erection by using penile injections and special devices.

Myth #4. Men after prostatectomy suffer from uroclepsia

The main side effect of prostatectomy is uroclepsia. In most men it occurs after several weeks or months after operation. According to statistics, in 5 years after surgical intercourse about 1/3 of men suffer from high-stress uroclepsia (urine leak when coughing, physical exercises, laughing or sneezing). Only in 5% of cases was registered a serious uroclepsia.

Risk of uroclepsia is lowered when the operation in performed in big oncologic centers under the supervision of qualified specialists.