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Prostate Cancer
Early diagnosis greatly increases the chances of treating prostate
cancer effectively.
Patricia Carruthers-Czyzewski, BScPhm, MSc
Prostate cancer has now surpassed lung cancer as the most frequently
diagnosed cancer in Canadian men. A man born in 1993 has a 1-in-8
chance of being diagnosed with prostate cancer and a 1-in-26
chance of dying from the disease during his lifetime. Eighty
nine %
of men diagnosed with prostate cancer survive at least 5 years,
and 63% survive at least 10 years.
Early diagnosis greatly increases the chances of treating prostate
cancer effectively. Some prostate cancers may be found because
of symptoms such as slowing or weakening of the urinary stream
or the need to urinate more often. These symptoms are not specific
and can also be caused by benign diseases of the prostate, such
as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). BPH does not seem to
increase the chances of getting prostate cancer. Most cases of
early prostate cancer cause no symptoms and are found by a prostate-specific
antigen (PSA) blood test and/or digital rectal examination (DRE).
A man with a healthy prostate typically has a PSA of 4.0 or less.
The quantity of PSA generally rises when prostate cancer occurs.
Men having the PSA blood test should tell their doctors about
other drugs they are taking, such as finasteride or saw palmetto
as
they may interfere with the PSA level.
While the causes of prostate cancer are not yet completely understood,
researchers have found several factors that are consistently
associated with an increased risk:
- The chance of having prostate cancer increases rapidly after
age 50; more than 80% of cases are diagnosed in men over the
age of 65.
- It is more common among African-American men than among white
American men.
- It is more common in North America and northwestern Europe
than in Asia, Africa, Central America, and South America.
- Men who eat a lot of fat in their diet seem to have a great
chance of developing prostate cancer. Men with diets low in
fruits, vegetables, dairy products, calcium high foods and
fructose (fruit sugar) may be at increased risk.
- Regular physical activity and maintaining a healthy weight
may help reduce prostate cancer risk.
- It seems to run in some families
- Men (especially men younger than 35) who have had a vasectomy
may have a slightly increased risk fro prostate cancer.
Choosing a treatment for prostate cancer is not easy. The primary
choices are surgery, radiation and hormone therapy, which are
used alone or in combination. the treatments can have side effects.
It is important to discuss the various options with your doctor
and to weigh the benefits of each treatment against possible
side effects or risks.
Hormone therapy is often used for patients whose prostate cancer
has spread to other parts of the body or has come back after
treatment. The goal of hormone therapy is to lower levels of
testosterone, thereby shrinking the prostate cancer or making
it grow more slowly.
Watching and waiting may be recommended if the cancer is not
causing any symptoms, is expected to grow very slowly, and is
small and contained with one area of the prostate. some men choose
watching and waiting because, in their view, the side effects
of aggressive treatment outweigh the benefits. If a man develops
bothersome symptoms or his cancer begins to grow more quickly,
decisions about active treatment can be considered.
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The information in this newsletter was prepared and reviewed
by pharmacists for the Canadian Pharmaceutical Journal.
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Ask Your Pharmacist newsletter is produced through
an unconditional educational grant from APOTEX/PACE. |
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