Prostate cancer hits 1 in 7 men

If you don't know someone who has experienced it, odds are you will. Prostate cancer is the leading cancer among men, affecting one in seven. September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month and awareness goes a long way with this disease.

Early detection (before the cancer spreads past the prostate) means viable treatment options and great odds - 90 percent of those diagnosed live at least five years more, and 63 percent live 10 years or more. Early detection enjoys survival rates closer to 100 percent, according to Johns Hopkins University experts. Yet for 29,480 American men this year, the disease is fatal.

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men, or about one in five of those diagnosed with cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. An estimated 2.5 million men now live with the disease, which is more likely to strike in later years. One in 10,000 younger than 40 will be diagnosed, but in youth it's relatively rare; that soars to one in 39 for ages 40 to 59, and one in 14 among men older than 60.

What it is: The prostate is the male sex gland, located below the bladder and near the urethra. A normal prostate is the size of a walnut, or about 20 cc. The average cancer-affected prostate is 40 cc. The prostate needs testosterone to function properly; suspected causes of prostate cancer include abnormal testosterone levels, family history, and a high-fat diet. The incidence of prostate cancer has risen steadily for decades, in part from improved diagnosis, although not fully explained. Some research suggests that low-fat diets with less red meat and more (five to six servings daily) fresh vegetables and fruits may reduce risk of this and other cancers.

Symptoms: In most cases there are no symptoms when diagnosed, although at advanced stages difficulty urinating may occur (also a symptom of many other conditions). That's why regular testing is vital. If the cancer has already spread to the bones, back and other pain may occur.

Diagnosis - PSA: Physical exams (DREs - digital rectal exams) can reveal nodules on the prostate. But a simple PSA blood test detects earlier. The prostate-specific antigen is a protein with a tumor marker unique to the prostate gland. A positive PSA test (typically over 4) may just mean an infection, so a biopsy is then taken by a urologist to confirm. The tissue cells are tested and receive a Gleason score (1-10; lower is better), a rating of the likelihood the tumor will spread. Cystoscopy (bladder scope), CAT and MRI scans are sometimes used to diagnose and differentiate diseased areas.

Treatment: More than 70 percent of diagnosed prostate cancers are organ-specific; they haven't spread elsewhere and are thus operable. Other treatments include radiation, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy.

For more information see your doctor and the Prostate Cancer Foundation site at Pcf.org or Cancer.org.

Sholeh Patrick is a columnist for the Hagadone News Network. Contact her at Sholeh@cdapress.com.