Prostate problems have symptoms that are easy to identify. Many of them are caused by the obstruction of the urethra and the loss of bladder function. Symptoms vary with each individual but the most common symptoms involve changes in urination habits. Symptoms include:

A weakened stream of urine, or interrupted stream

Having an urgency to urinate or leaking and dribbling

More frequent urination during the night

Some men who have an enlarged prostate will not suffer any symptoms and others may face serious problems. Some men with an enlarged prostate do not have symptoms, while other men may have symptoms but their prostate is not too large. A man may not know he has a problem until he stops urinating totally. This can happen if he is on an over-the-counter decongestant drug. The drug used in decongestants may prevent the bladder opening to relax to allow the urine to flow out.

Cold temperatures, alcohol, or long periods of inactivity can also cause retention of urine. If you are having any of these symptoms, contact your doctor to have the problem checked. In most cases, the symptoms can point to BPH or enlarged prostate, but sometimes it can mean a more serious condition that may need immediate treatment.

If symptoms are left untreated, more serious complications can be the result. The strain on the bladder and the retention of urine can cause kidney or bladder damage and urinary tract infections. It may lead to the inability to control urination, cause kidney or bladder stones and may resist treatment if not diagnosed early.

Diagnosis can be done with a routine checkup with your doctor. Part of that routine checkup will be a prostate check if you are over the age of 40. The doctor can feel the part of the prostate that is positioned next to the rectum by doing a rectal exam. If the doctor suspects that you may have a problem with your prostate, he/she will probably refer you to an urologist, a specialist in urinary tract problems. The urologist may perform several tests in order to isolate any prostate problems.

Besides the digital rectal exam the doctor may perform a blood test that will show if there is a high number of PSA, a protein made by the prostate gland. If high levels are found it may signal prostate cancer. A PSA test may be given to men who have successfully been treated for prostate cancer. There is a problem with using only a PSA test to discover prostate cancer. High levels of PSA in the blood could signal other benign prostate conditions.

Other tests to check for prostate cancer are a rectal ultrasound. A probe inserted into the rectum sends sound waves at the prostate gland and then displays the prostate on a screen. If the prostate looks unusual a needle biopsy can be done during the ultrasound. The needle picks up a few tiny pieces of the prostate gland and the doctor, or, more likely a specialist, can examine them under a microscope. Your doctor will help you decide further tests that you may need.

Verlyn Ross
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/symptoms-of-an-enlarged-prostate-91642.html

Tweet This Post

Prostate cancer is the third most common cause of death from cancer in men of all ages and is the most common cause of death from cancer in men over 75 years old. At an advanced age, the risks of surgery for prostate cancer or other more radical treatments may actually be worse than the disease. The main job of the prostate gland is to make seminal fluid, the milky substance that transports sperm.

The prostate gland is located directly beneath the bladder and in front of the rectum. In most men, prostate cancer grows very slowly: most men will never know they have the condition. Detected in its early stages, prostate cancer can be effectively treated and cured.

Most prostate cancer symptoms, although associated with prostate cancer, are more likely to be connected to non-cancerous conditions. If you have one or more prostate cancer symptoms, you should see a qualified doctor as soon as possible. There are several symptoms to be aware of.

Weak or interrupted flow of urine and painful or burning urination can be symptoms to watch out for. Other symptoms might include unintentional weight loss and lethargy. One of the most common symptoms is the inability to urinate at all.

Another test usually used when prostate cancer symptoms are present is the digital rectal exam (DRE) performed by the doctor. One downside to PSA testing is that health care providers are detecting and treating some very early-stage prostate cancers that may never have caused the patient any harm. A chest x-ray may be done to see if there’s a spread of cancer.

A prostate biopsy usually confirms the diagnosis. What is called a free PSA may help tell the difference between BPH (benign prostatic hypertrophy), an enlargement of the prostate gland, and prostate cancer. The decision about whether to pursue a PSA test should be based on a discussion between you and your doctor.

Other medications used for hormonal therapy, with side effects, include androgen-blocking agents, which prevent testosterone from attaching to prostate cells. Whether radiation is as good as prostate removal is debatable and the decision about which to choose, if any, can be difficult. Anyone considering surgery should be aware of the benefits, risks and the extent of the procedure.

Prostate cancer that has spread (metastasized) may be treated conventionally with drugs to reduce testosterone levels, surgery to remove the testes, chemotherapy or nothing at all. Chemotherapy medications are often used to treat prostate cancers that are resistant to hormonal treatments. Surgery is usually only recommended after thorough evaluation and discussion of all available treatment options.

Side effects of chemotherapy drugs depend on which ones you’re taking and how often and how long they’re taken. Many men simply want the best treatment they can get but what’s important is picking the best treatment for you. In patients whose health makes the risk of surgery unacceptably high, radiation therapy is often the chosen conventional alternative.

Treatment options can vary based on the stage of the tumor. Recent improvements in surgical procedures have made complications occur less often. Hormone manipulation is mainly used as a treatment to relieve symptoms in men whose cancer has spread.

Urinary incontinence can be a possible complication of surgery. Surgery, radiation therapy, and hormonal therapy can interfere with libido on a temporary or permanent basis.

As new research comes out adjust your treatment options accordingly. Just about all men with prostate cancer survive at least five years after their diagnosis, 93% survive at least 10 years, and 67% survive more than 15 years. The one thing that you should not do however is rely on any information obtained from the Internet to make your final decision.

Helen Hecker
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/do-you-think-you-have-a-prostate-problem-or-possibly-prostate-cancer-124037.html

Tweet This Post

Many men, especially those later in life have made the decision with their doctors to simply watch and wait. About 80 percent of men who reach the age of 80 have prostate cancer. It’s deadly but can be cured if it’s caught early enough.

Like other cancers, the cause of prostate cancer is not known; it appears to be more common in African American men and men with a family history of the disease. The prostate gland is located directly beneath the bladder and in front of the rectum. The male hormone testosterone contributes to the growth of cancer.

Because the symptoms can mimic other diseases or disorders, men who experience any of these symptoms should undergo a thorough work-up to determine the underlying cause of the symptoms. Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease are bone pain or tenderness, and abdominal pain. There may be other symptoms not mentioned here.

Most prostate cancer symptoms, although associated with prostate cancer, are more likely to be connected to non-cancerous conditions. If cancer is caught at its earliest stages, most men will not experience any symptoms. One symptom is difficulty starting urination or holding back urine.

There are several potential downsides to PSA testing; for example a high PSA does not always mean a patient has prostate cancer. CT scans may be done to see if the cancer has spread. What is called a free PSA may help tell the difference between BPH (benign prostatic hypertrophy), an enlargement of the prostate gland, and prostate cancer.

A urinalysis may indicate if there is blood in the urine. A prostate biopsy usually confirms the diagnosis. The prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test measures the PSA enzyme in your blood for abnormalities.

Recent improvements in surgical procedures have made complications occur less often. Medicines can be used to adjust the levels of testosterone; called hormonal manipulation. Surgery is usually only recommended after thorough evaluation and discussion of all available treatment options.

Prostate cancer that has spread (metastasized) may be treated conventionally with drugs to reduce testosterone levels, surgery to remove the testes, chemotherapy or nothing at all. Some drugs with numerous side effects are being used to treat advanced prostate cancer, blocking the production of testosterone, called chemical castration; it has the same result as surgical removal of the testes. Side effects of chemotherapy drugs depend on which ones you’re taking and how often and how long they’re taken.

An oncology specialist will usually recommend treating with a single drug or a combination of drugs. Chemotherapy medications are often used to treat prostate cancers that are resistant to hormonal treatments. Anyone considering surgery should be aware of the benefits, risks and the extent of the procedure.

Other medications used for hormonal therapy, with side effects, include androgen-blocking agents, which prevent testosterone from attaching to prostate cells. What you can do now is begin to understand what exactly your treatment options are and where you’re going to begin. Hormone manipulation is mainly used as a treatment to relieve symptoms in men whose cancer has spread.

In patients whose health makes the risk of surgery unacceptably high, radiation therapy is often the chosen conventional alternative. Whether radiation is as good as prostate removal is debatable and the decision about which to choose, if any, can be difficult.

Once diagnosed you may be want to join a support group whose members share their experiences and problems. As new research comes out adjust your treatment options accordingly. Consider articles such as this one, just a starting point where you can begin to learn about prostate cancer.

Helen Hecker
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/think-you-have-a-prostate-problem-or-prostate-cancer-137485.html

Tweet This Post

While you’ve got definitely heard of skin cancer, did you know that every one 3 types of skin cancer are on the increase? This includes squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, and the foremost serious type of skin cancer – melanoma. The nice news is that almost all forms of skin cancer are preventable by avoiding sun exposure or other forms for ultraviolet (UV) radiation. It is also true that early detection can end in successful treatment of even the most aggressive types of skin cancers.

So what precisely causes skin cancer?

Skin cancer is most likely to make on elements of your body that have the foremost exposure to sun. The most vulnerable areas embody your face, lips, scalp, chest, neck, arms, hands and ladies’ s legs. You may be shocked to learn that skin cancer can additionally develop in areas of your body that are rarely (or never) exposed directly to sunlight. These areas embrace between your toes, under your toenails or fingernails, the palms of your hands, and also the genital area.

The chance of skin cancer is not limited simply to folks with light complexions. But when dark skinned individuals do develop melanoma, they are a lot of likely to expertise it in parts of the body not sometimes considered to be sun-exposed.

There’s also no standard time table for skin cancer to develop. Relying on the type of cancer, a skin lesion will develop slowly over many years or appear very suddenly.

Warning signs of skin cancer are sometimes visual. For basal cell carcinoma, you’ll notice a waxy bump on your face, neck or ears, or a flat brown scar-like lesion on your back or chest. Squamous cell carcinoma usually seems as a firm red nodule, or a flat scaly lesion, on the face, neck, ear, hands or arms.

Melonoma, which is the most deadly kind of skin cancer, can develop anywhere on the body – although it is found most frequently on the trunk, head or neck of men and also the arms or legs of women. Melanoma will appear as a giant brown spot with darker speckles, or a mole that suddenly changes color or size or bleeds. Melanoma can conjointly appears as a tiny lesion with an irregular border and blue, red, black or white spots. Shiny, firm dome-shaped bumps will also be a wake-up call of melanoma, plus dark lesions on the soles of the feet, palms of the hands, or on the mucous linings of the nose, mouth, anus or vagina.

While not all changes in your skin are cancerous, it is best to own your doctor examine any changes that you just notice. With early detection, most skin cancer can be treated. And with correct sun protection, most skin cancer will be avoided altogether. Checkout more other FREE information about ovarian cancer bracelets, ovarian cancer symptons and cryotherapy for prostate cancer

Tweet This Post

Technorati Tags: cancer article, cancer guide, cancer information, cancer tips

Early prostate cancer is confined to the prostate gland itself; most of the patients with this type of cancer can live for years without any problems. The prostate is a small, walnut-sized structure that makes up part of a man’s reproductive system; it wraps around the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of the body. The main job of the prostate gland is to make seminal fluid, the milky substance that transports sperm.

Prostate cancer is a malignant tumor of the prostate gland. At an advanced age, the risks of surgery for prostate cancer or other more radical treatments may actually be worse than the disease. About 80 percent of men who reach the age of 80 have it.

If you have one or more prostate cancer symptoms, you should see a qualified doctor as soon as possible. Because these symptoms can mimic other diseases or disorders, men who experience any of these symptoms should undergo a thorough work-up to determine the underlying cause of the symptoms. Other symptoms might include unintentional weight loss and lethargy.

If cancer is caught at its earliest stages, most men will not experience any symptoms. One symptom is a need to urinate frequently, especially at night. There may be other symptoms not mentioned here.

There is a newer test called AMACR that is more sensitive than the PSA test for determining the presence of prostate cancer. A prostate biopsy usually confirms the diagnosis. The prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test measures the PSA enzyme in your blood for abnormalities.

Another test usually used when symptoms are present is the digital rectal exam (DRE) performed by the doctor. There are several potential downsides to PSA testing; for example a high PSA does not always mean a patient has prostate cancer. A PSA test with a high level can also be from a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland.

In patients whose health makes the risk of surgery unacceptably high, radiation therapy is often the chosen conventional alternative. Besides hormonal drugs, hormone manipulation may also be done by surgically removing the testes. Prostate cancer that has spread (metastasized) may be treated conventionally with drugs to reduce testosterone levels, surgery to remove the testes, chemotherapy or nothing at all.

Recent improvements in surgical procedures have made complications occur less often. An oncology specialist will usually recommend treating with a single drug or a combination of drugs. Surgery, called a radical prostatectomy, removes the entire prostate gland and some of the surrounding tissues.

Side effects of chemotherapy drugs depend on which ones you’re taking and how often and how long they’re taken. Medicines can be used to adjust the levels of testosterone; called hormonal manipulation. Whether radiation is as good as removing the prostate gland is debatable and the decision about which to choose, if any, can be difficult.

The conventional treatment of prostate cancer is often controversial. Radiation therapy to the prostate gland is either external or internal, both of which use high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Impotence is a potential complication after the prostatectomy or after radiation therapy.

Medications can have many side effects, including hot flashes and loss of sexual desire. Surgery, radiation, hormonal therapy and chemotherapy all have significant side effects; know fully what they are before you proceed.

Evidence indicates that many patients detect their cancer at an earlier stage because of annual screening, so make sure to get an exam. The outcome of prostate cancer varies greatly; mostly because the disease is found in older men who may have a variety of other complicating diseases or conditions, such as cardiac or respiratory disease, or disabilities that immobilize or greatly decrease their activities. Because it’s a slow-growing disease, many men with this disease will die from other causes before they die from prostate cancer.

Helen Hecker
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/prostate-cancer-tips-facts-and-treatments-127220.html

Tweet This Post