September Is Prostate Cancer Month – What You Need to Know about The Disease

Hearing the phrase, “it’s prostate cancer” is enough to send chills down any man’s spine. Fortunately, however, prostate cancer is not a diagnosis that guarantees a negative outcome, although it does usually cause shock and dismay.

Due to the latest advances in cancer diagnostics and treatment options, finding out that you have prostate cancer in the early stages can mean a complete recovery and sustained quality of life once the appropriate treatment plan is developed and implemented.

To commemorate September as Prostate Cancer Month, the expert urologists at the Prostate Cancer Institute of Los Angeles want to make sure that you’re aware of the basics of prostate cancer and its treatment options. If you’ve been diagnosed with prostate cancer – or even if you suspect that you have it – we’ll help prepare you for the next steps.

Risk Factors Associated with Prostate Cancer

There are several risk factors associated with prostate cancer, including the following:

• Age – This is the biggest risk factor of all, and the chances of developing cancer start rising once a man reaches 50
• Ethnicity/Race – Though all men are at risk for prostate cancer, African-Americans have an incidence rate that is higher than both whites and Asian-Americans.
• Geography – North American, European, Australian, and Caribbean men are more likely to be diagnosed with the disease than men from other areas of the world (most likely due to diet)
• Family History – If your father, brother, grandfather, or uncle has ever been diagnosed with the disease, your chances of having it are greatly increased
• Changes in the Gland Itself – This particularly applies to gene mutations or the presence of PIN cells (prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia cells)
• Diet – Evidence shows that men are a higher risk if their diet consists of dairy and/or red meat.

Although it’s good to keep the above in mind, it’s also important to remember that you’re not guaranteed to have cancer if you suffer from one or more of the aforementioned risk factors. Despite this, you’re not necessarily in the clear if you have NONE of the known risk factors, either, which is why prostate cancer screenings are critical.

Symptoms of Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers and is the second deadliest cancer for American men. Since cancer of the prostate grows slowly, men who succumb to the disease usually do so because of a late or inaccurate diagnosis and/or improper treatment.

The prostate gland is crucial to your reproductive and urinary system, as it regulates the bladder and contributes to the health and mobility of sperm. As a result, most symptoms are connected to urinary or sexual habit changes.

However, the symptoms of this disease can be confusing, as they’re inconsistent from man to man; some men with the disease never have symptoms while others who don’t have the disease can have symptoms, though they could simply be due to normal body functions.

Here are 4 crucial symptoms:

Urinary Changes – These include difficulty holding urine in, difficulty starting to urinate, weak flow of urine, and pain or burning while urinating
Sexual Changes – These include erection issues, bloody semen, or pain during ejaculation
Unusual Swelling or Numbness – This refers more to numbness or swelling in the pelvis, hips, or legs, not to the penis or testicles, in particular
Unexpected Pain or Stiffness – This includes such issues in your lower back, hips, legs, and even bones

Don’t disregard these symptoms, especially if they persist. See a board-certified specialist as soon as possible, because early detection is the key between succumbing to the disease and surviving it.

If you are diagnosed with prostate cancer, don’t be afraid to seek a second or even third opinion so that you’re sure that you weren’t misdiagnosed, as over- or undertreatment can be detrimental to your survival efforts. Furthermore, location, seriousness, and level of metastasis (spread) are also important when determining the appropriate treatment plan.

Options for Prostate Cancer Treatment

After your doctor has ascertained your overall health in addition to the size of the tumor, its aggression level, and its degree of spread, the best prostate cancer treatment plan can be determined and implemented.

If treatment for the whole gland is deemed necessary, several options are available:

Surgery – Surgical options include laparoscopy, robotic prostatectomy, and open surgery

Radiation therapy – These treatments include external beam radiation treatment (IMRT) and internal radiation therapy (brachytherapy)

Cryotherapy – Cryotherapy involves super-cooling the gland until the tumor is destroyed

Although the above whole gland prostate cancer treatments have track records of success, they carry risks of side effects and complications, such as erectile or urinary dysfunction. On the other hand, if localized prostate cancer treatment is deemed sufficient, there are several other options available:

Active surveillance – Active surveillance is not treatment, but simply active, regular monitoring of the tumor

HIFU (high intensity focused ultrasound) – HIFU is a safe, precise prostate cancer treatment that utilizes ultrasound technology.

MRI Fusion Therapies:

• TrueBeam IMRT
• MRI Fusion Brachytherapy
• MRI Fusion HIFU

Live a Healthy Lifestyle

Whether or not you’ve been diagnosed with prostate cancer, we urge you to live a healthy lifestyle. For example, exercise regularly – even walking for 20 minutes at least 3-4 times weekly – to keep fit. Walking helps lower stress and reduces the risk of a faster progression (if you’re dealing with the disease).

Also, consume a nutritious diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, fiber, low-fat foods, and nuts. This is believed to slow the growth of tumors. Learn more about healthy diet options for patients with prostate cancer at WebMD.com.

Learn More About Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is beatable, and the specialists at the Prostate Cancer Institute of Los Angeles offer the latest in prostate cancer treatment designed for you to beat it. Schedule a consultation by contacting us online or calling our Beverly Hills office today.

Next, read 6 Famous Men Who Have Dealt with Prostate Cancer

The post September Is Prostate Cancer Month – What You Need to Know about The Disease appeared first on Prostate Cancer Dr. in Los Angeles CA.

6 Famous Men Who Have Dealt with Prostate Cancer

It’s not uncommon upon hearing a diagnosis as serious as cancer for you to feel you’re alone. For men with prostate cancer, the diagnosis can feel even more isolating.

For many men, cancer of the prostate is not an issue they want to talk about, so they deal with it alone.

But, as the second most common cancer among American men, this tactic is not recommended. Fighting such a disease, even one with a high survival rate, should not be undertaken alone.

The fact is that nearly 3 million American men have the disease, so you’re not alone in numbers. If you have compassionate health care professionals, such as the team at the Prostate Cancer Specialists in Los Angeles and loving family and friends in your corner, you’re not alone in support. If you’re a member of a prostate cancer support group, you’re not alone in having enough strength to fight.

The Prostate Cancer Specialists of Los Angeles want you to know that prostate cancer is very treatable, especially when it’s diagnosed in its early stages. But that means you have to get regular cancer screenings and see your doctor yearly once you near 50.

Many who die from this cancer usually were diagnosed too late, diagnosed incorrectly, or treated ineffectively.

Known Prostate Cancer Risk Factors

There are several risk factors that should compel you to seek medical advice. They include the following:

• Being 50+ years old
• American men of Caucasian or African descent are at the highest risk
• A family history of it (father, brother, uncle, grandfather, etc.)
• Changes in the prostate gland itself

Keep in mind, though, that it’s not a given that you have this cancer even if you have one or more of the above risk factors. However, it’s also important to remember that you’re necessarily not free of this disease because you have none of the prostate cancer risk factors.

In fact, read on to learn about six well-known individuals who have been stricken by cancer of the prostate and you’ll see that the disease can affect anyone. You’ll also see that it’s possible to survive.

No, you’ll see it’s possible to thrive.

Harry Belafonte

Actor, singer/songwriter, and activist, Harry Belafonte beat the disease in 1996. He’s been very gracious in public about sharing his issues with such side effects as incontinence from cancer treatments.

Now at 89 years of age, Belafonte wasn’t always so open about his condition, especially given that opening up about a disease that affects such a central part of a man can be difficult to endure and talk about. However, he now believes that there is nothing to be ashamed about and that having a positive mindset when fighting the disease is vital to your chances of survival.

Ben Stiller

Actor Ben Stiller is a model of why having or lacking cancer symptoms guarantees nothing. Diagnosed in 2014, he had previously shown no symptoms; he also had no family history of the disease.

Stiller only found out as a routine part of a yearly physical. A prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test showed a high number, and a return test six months later confirmed an even higher number. Eventually, the news was confirmed, after which he had his prostate removed via surgery.

Stiller today is cancer-free, though he continues PSA testing every six months to check for a recurrence. And although the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force believes that PSA testing can often lead to overtreatment of low-risk prostate cancers, Stiller is on record stating that PSA testing saved his life.

Robert De Niro

Academy Award-winning actor Robert De Niro has made a name for himself in portraying tough guys in many of his well-known films. But beating cancer of the prostate in his 60s might be a better barometer for his toughness.

It was detected early enough that, although there are few details about his cancer treatment, he recovered well enough to become a father in 2011 via a surrogate to his wife and him.

Colin Powell

Four-star general (retired) and former Secretary of State, Colin Powell had surgery in 2003 to remove his prostate gland. He is now a vocal supporter of prostate cancer awareness.

Powell is another man whose life was extended – and with continued quality – because he got diagnosed early, a result of a regular prostate screening.

Sir Roger Moore

Actor and philanthropist, Roger Moore, most famous for his role as James Bond, was a noted and self-proclaimed hypochondriac, so being diagnosed in 1993 with prostate cancer, around the age of 65, was his ultimate nightmare. Moore recovered after he had his prostate gland removed via radical prostatectomy.

He later wrote about the health scare and his recovery. It profoundly affected him, as he admitted to being changed forever by the close call.

Moore passed way in May 2017.

Mandy Patinkin

Iconic actor and singer, Mandy Patinkin was diagnosed with cancer of the prostate in 2004 when he was 51-years-old. The diagnosis overwhelmed him, as he was at the same age that his father had died of pancreatic cancer.

Patinkin fully recovered after he underwent a radical prostatectomy. Learn more about this procedure at WebMD.com.

Contact Comprehensive Urology Today

As you can see, cancer doesn’t care about your age, genetics or career. That’s why it’s important to get screened regularly as part of your yearly physical. You can survive and live a fruitful life full of love and fulfillment. To learn more, contact the Prostate Cancer Specialists of Los Angeles online or at 310.341.2557.

Next, read Reduce the Risk of Prostate Cancer By Maintaining a Healthy Diet

 

The post 6 Famous Men Who Have Dealt with Prostate Cancer appeared first on Prostate Cancer Dr. in Los Angeles CA.