Cancer in the prostate gland of men is known as prostate cancer. The prostate gland produces the seminal fluid that nourishes the sperm. Generally, in early stages, there are no noticeable signs and symptoms of prostate cancer however the signs develop as the disease progresses.
The main 5 warning signs of prostate cancer include:
- Blood in semen or urine
- Burning sensation during ejaculation or urination
- Sudden erectile dysfunction
- Frequent urination during the night
- Difficulty in starting or stopping urination
Above mentioned 5 signs are severe symptoms which when appear the patient should immediately consult their healthcare professional.
Some other signs and symptoms of prostate cancer are listed below:
- Pain in the pelvic area
- Loss of weight
- Bone pain
- Frequent urination
- Loss of appetite
- Pain in lower back upper thigh and hips
- Pain in ejaculation
- Blood in urine
Treatment of prostate cancer:
There are several treatment methods used in prostate cancer which depend upon several factors such as the aggressiveness of cancerous cells, rate of metastasis, and General Health of a patient.
The treatment processes are:
1. Surgery for prostate cancer: This treatment technique is generally performed when the cancer cell has not spread to the part of the body. Removal of the prostate gland along with the nearby lining of tissues is known as radical prostatectomy. Several types of surgery performed are:
- Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy
- Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy
- Radical Retropubic Prostatectomy
- Transurethral resection of the prostate
2. Radiation Therapy: High energy x-ray is directly aimed at the cancerous cells. Radiation therapy is also used in combination with hormonal therapy to control the metastasis of cancerous cells. There are two important categories of Radiation therapy:
- External beam radiation
- Internal radiation
3. Cryotherapy: This type of therapy method involved cold temperature to eradicate cancerous cells from the body.
4. Hormone Therapy: Some drugs are used which restrain the androgen level and action that could not provide nourishment to cancerous cells.
5. Chemotherapy: In this therapy, several medications are used that are either vaccinated intravenously or taken orally so that it can travel via the bloodstream to the various parts of the body and kill the cancerous cell.
6. Immunotherapy: Several drugs are taken that strengthen the body's immune system to fight against prostate cancer.
7. Targeted Therapy: various drugs have been used that attack the cancerous cell in the body. This drug interferes with the normal functioning of Cancer by inhibiting its growth and spreading in the body
