Prostate Cancer

What is the prostate?
The prostate is a gland found only in men. It is between the bladder and rectum and is about the size of a walnut. It produces and secretes prostatic fluid, which is one of the main components of semen.

How does prostate cancer occur?
Prostate cancer occurs when a malignant (harmful) tumour develops inside the gland. This could be caused by the male hormone testosterone. However, the exact cause of prostate cancer is not known.

If left untreated, the malignant tumour cells could spread to other parts of the body, such as the bone.

What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?
Those with prostate cancer may experience similar symptoms to those with enlarged prostate gland and prostatitis (infection of the prostate gland), such as:

• Being unable to urinate
• Urinating too frequently, especially at night
• Feeling pain while urinating
• Having an interrupted or weak flow of urine

Other problems include:

• Being unable to have an erection
• Having blood in the urine or semen
• Constant pain in the hips, upper thighs or lower back area
  

Who is affected by prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer usually takes a long time to develop, and is seldom the sole or final cause of death.

Men over 65 years of age are more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer. However, men aged 50 and above with a close relative who has had prostate cancer before 60 years of age, have a higher risk and should go for screening.

How can prostate cancer be detected?
It is difficult to detect prostate cancer accurately. The current approach is to measure the amount of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) present in the blood. PSA is a protein produced by the prostate. However, this test is not always reliable. This is because infections or an enlarged prostate can also increase PSA levels and affect the test results.

Thus, a biopsy is normally used to confirm the diagnosis.

How is prostate cancer treated?
In serious cases, the tumour in the prostate gland can be removed with surgery. After surgery, it is important that the patient has a healthy diet to build up strength and resistance. The patient must also be monitored closely, as in some cases the cancer could recur.

Some mild cases may not require surgery, but require regular monitoring by doctors.

If you suspect you may have prostate cancer, please consult your doctor.