Cancer Fighters Thrive is a quarterly print and online magazine bringing readers practical, innovative and inspirational information about cancer treatment and survivorship.
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CANCER TYPE Q&A; PROSTATE CANCER Scott Shelfo, MD, FACS Urologist Cancer Treatment Centers of America® Newnan, Georgia WHAT IS PROSTATE CANCER, AND HOW COMMON IS IT? Prostate cancer is a cancer originating in the prostate gland, a sexual reproduction presenting with prostate cancer at a younger age and developing a more organ in men. The prostate is composed of glands that produce fuid that becomes part of the semen for sperm nourishment and transport. The cancer originates from the small glands within it and therefore is categorized as an adenocarcinoma, or gland cancer. Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin-related cancer among men and is the second leading cause of death in men. In 2013 more than 238,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. It can affect up to one in six men during their lifetime. and the behavior of prostate cancer; a lack of vitamin D and a diet high in animal fat may increase the risk of developing prostate cancer. As with many other medical conditions, obesity plays a role and may increase the risk for and the progression of the disease. • Exposure to the herbicide Agent Orange can increase the risk of prostate cancer, as seen with many Vietnam veterans. WHAT ARE THE RISK FACTORS FOR PROSTATE CANCER? There are several risk factors associated with the development of prostate cancer. • Age is one risk factor; the risk of developing prostate cancer increases as a man ages. • Genetics plays a role as well; men with a family history of the disease are at increased risk of developing prostate cancer, especially if a primary blood relative, such as a father or brother, has the disease. • African-American men are at increased risk over the general population, often cfthrive.com aggressive type of the disease. • Diet may infuence the development ARE THERE COMMON SYMPTOMS OF PROSTATE CANCER? There are typically no symptoms of prostate cancer until the disease progresses to a more advanced stage. Most patients have no symptoms at all, and the cancer is detected by a screening exam and a prostate-specifc antigen (PSA) blood test. If the cancer is advanced, it can begin to affect urination, with symptoms of frequency, hesitancy and diffculty emptying the bladder. If the cancer spreads or metastasizes, the patient may develop pain related to cancer in the bones such as hip, leg or back. FOR A FREE PRINT SUBSCRIPTION GO TO CFTHRIVE.COM QA & WHAT ARE THE CURRENT SCREENING GUIDELINES FOR PROSTATE CANCER? The screening guidelines for prostate cancer have been the subject of much controversy over the past several years. Historically, men were screened by their physician annually, beginning at age 50, with a digital rectal exam and a test to determine the blood level of the PSA. African-American men and men with a family history of prostate cancer were advised to begin screening at age 40. In 2012 the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, after evaluating the utility of screening and the mortality rates associated with prostate cancer, recommended that routine screening for prostate cancer be discontinued for all men—a recommendation that was met with great resistance by many physicians and patients as well as by the American Urological Association (AUA). In 2013 the AUA modifed its recommendations to the following, more targeted, approach: • The greatest evidence of beneft of routine screening was found in men ages 55 to 69. • Men with risk factors, including race and family history, should speak with their health-care provider about testing. • Routine screening for men under 40 is not recommended. winter 2013 | cancer fighters thrive 31