It is important to diagnose prostate cancer early! Men over age 50 should have a yearly rectal examination. Consider the PSA blood test as well if you have any of the stated risk factors.
Do what you can to prevent prostate cancer. Don’t smoke, and eat a well-balanced, high-fiber, low-fat diet. Be especially careful about eating red meat and animal fat. They are believed to increase risk of prostate cancer by stimulating hormone production. Cooking meat at high temperatures also produces carcinogens which affect the prostate directly. Poach or roast meat instead of frying or barbecuing. Or eat fish or poultry instead or red meat, and remove the skin from poultry.
Educate yourself. The various treatments for prostate cancer are controversial. More men live with prostate cancer than die from it, and some treatments have side effects. Treatments roughly divide into those that aim to cure the cancer, and those that aim to control the symptoms.
If prostate cancer is discovered, doctors will usually recommend surgery to remove the prostate gland and, possibly, the testes. This can be a cure if the cancer is found early enough. However, surgery may lead to impotence, incontinence, or other complications.
Radiation therapy may be recommended instead of surgery in the early stages. Possible side effects of radiation therapy include fatigue, diarrhea, discomfort when urinating, dry skin, and nausea.
If the cancer has already spread to other areas of the body, the patient may also receive hormone treatment. Hormone treatment aims to decrease the body’s level of testosterone, which stimulates the growth of prostate cancer. This can be done either by surgery or by using estrogen to block the production of testosterone. These treatments usually are able to control the symptoms of prostate cancer, avoid disability, and prolong the patient’s life. All survivors of prostate cancer should have regular physical examinations and monitor their PSA levels closely.
