Posts Tagged ‘Male’

What are the major side effects after the treatment for prostate cancer ?

March 29th, 2010

Following treatment for prostate cancer, some men may experience :
From the day you were diagnosed with cancer, you’ve probably looked forward to getting back to your “normal” life. However, the disease may have dominated your life for so long that it might take some time to get back into your regular routine after your treatment is done. It’s important to give yourself and your loved ones time to adjust.

Incontinence

The inability to control urination affects about 10 percent of men who have been treated for prostate cancer.
- Stress incontinence
- Overflow incontinence
- Urge incontinence
Normal bladder function often returns within weeks after surgery or after radiation treatments have stopped.

Impotence

Impotence, also known as erectile dysfunction, is the inability to have an erection. Impotence can result from surgery, radiation therapy, or hormone therapies. In the months following surgery, some potency may return.
- Drugs such as sildenafil (Viagra) can help a man achieve an erection.
- Vacuum devices also assist in achieving an erection.
- Penile implants can be inserted surgically to help create an erection.

Physical Discomfort

Physical discomfort after treatment for prostate cancer may include:
- Fatigue caused by radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or hormone therapies.
- Nausea and vomiting caused by radiation therapy or chemotherapy.
- Hair loss from chemotherapy.

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Posted in Cancer, Complications, Prostate cancer

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Causes and Symptoms of Prostate Cancer

March 24th, 2010

Prostate cancer is a disease which only affects men. Cancer begins to grow in the prostate – a gland in the male reproductive system. The prostate is so called because of its position – it is at the base of the bladder. The exact causes of prostate cancer are unknown.

Causes of Prostate Cancer

- Prostate cancer is caused by changes in the DNA of a prostate cancer cell. DNA makes up our genes, which control how cells behave.
- Prostate cancer may also be linked to higher levels of certain hormones. High levels of male hormones (androgens) may play a part in prostate cancer risk in some men.
- The risk (predisposing) factors for prostate cancer include advancing age, genetics (heredity), hormonal influences, and such environmental factors as toxins, chemicals, and industrial products.
- It develops in the outer part of the gland as distinct from Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), which develops in the centre of the gland. Therefore, it is possible to get prostatic cancer even after one has had a prostatectomy for BPH.

Symptoms of Prostate Cancer

Levels of a substance called prostate specific antigen (PSA) is often high in men with prostate cancer. However, PSA can also be high with other prostate conditions. Since the PSA test became common, most prostate cancers are found before they cause symptoms. In the later stages, prostate cancer can spread locally into the surrounding tissue or the nearby lymph nodes, called the pelvic nodes. The cancer then can spread even farther (metastasize) to other areas of the body. Symptoms of prostate cancer may include :

- A need to urinate frequently, especially at night.
- Difficulty in starting urination or inability to urinate.
- Weak or interrupted flow of urine.
- Painful or burning urination.
- Difficulty in having an erection.
- Pain during ejaculation.
- Blood in the urine or semen.
- Pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips, or thighs.
- Pain with bowel movement.
- Unintentional weight loss.
- Lethargy.
It is advised to consult a doctor immediately if you have experienced any of the above symptoms. Men aged 50 and above have the chances of developing prostate cancer.

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Posted in Cancer, Diet, Exercise, Genetics, Malignancy, backache, causes, growth, health, pain, symptons

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What is a prostate and prostate cancer?

March 23rd, 2010

The prostate is gland that is part of the male reproductive system. It is shaped like a walnut and is about 1.2 inches across. The urethra has two jobs: to carry urine from the bladder when you urinate and to carry semen during a sexual climax, or ejaculation. Semen is a combination of sperm plus fluid that the prostate adds. It is located in the pelvis, under the urinary bladder and in front of the rectum. The prostate contains many small glands which make about twenty percent of the fluid constituting semen.
Prostate cancer is the third most common cause of death from cancer in men of all ages. It is rare in men younger than 40.

What is prostate enlargement, or BPH?

Prostate cancer is an abnormal, uncontrolled growth of cells that results in the formation of a tumor in the prostate gland. Prostate cancer is found mainly in older men. As men age, the prostate may get bigger and block the urethra or bladder. This may cause difficulty in urination or can interfere with sexual function. The condition is called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and although it is not cancer, surgery may be needed to correct it. Prostate cancer begins most often in the outer part of the prostate.
- A frequent and urgent need to urinate.
- Trouble starting a urine stream.
- A weak stream of urine.
- A small amount of urine each time you go.
- The feeling that you still have to go, even when you have just finished urinating.
- Leaking or dribbling urine
- Small amounts of blood in your urine
It’s true that some men with prostate cancer also have BPH, but that doesn’t mean that the two conditions are always linked. Most men with BPH don’t develop prostate cancer.

What is prostatitis?

Prostatitis means the prostate might be inflamed or irritated. If you have prostatitis, you may have a burning feeling when you urinate, or you may have to urinate more often. Or you may have a fever or just feel tired.

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Posted in Cancer, Malignancy, growth, health

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