Is prostate cancer curable when caught early?

Caught in its early stages, prostate cancer can be cured and treated with more manageable side effects to patients. However, caught too late, it can have many serious effects on the lives of patients and their families.

uroweb.org - Why early detection for prostate cancer is vital - Uroweb

Is enlarged prostate curable?

Because BPH cannot be cured, the treatment focuses on reducing the symptoms. The treatment is based on how severe the symptoms are, how much they...

Last updated Feb 15, 2020

How can I reduce my prostate size fast?

The options include: Alpha blockers. These medications relax bladder neck muscles and muscle fibers in the prostate, making urination easier. ......

Last updated Apr 4, 2018

Promotion

This article was written by Prof. Hein Van Poppel (BE) and Mrs. Sarah Collen (BE) of the European Association of Urology and by Ms. Sarah Coghlan (GB) and Ms. Kellie Paich (US) of Movember. It was published as part of the Men’s Health Campaign 2021 of Mediaplanet online via www.healthawareness.co.uk/mens-health/why-early-detection-for-prostate-cancer-is-vital/ and in a supplement inside The Guardian newspaper. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men and the disease kills over 12,000 UK men every year. It is estimated that one in eight UK men will develop the disease at some point in their lives. Caught in its early stages, prostate cancer can be cured and treated with more manageable side effects to patients. However, caught too late, it can have many serious effects on the lives of patients and their families. Treatment and care for advanced prostate cancer are also costly and place significant demands on the already hard-pressed NHS, with very little quality-of-life benefits for prostate cancer patients.

Effective early detection is a win-win

Around four in 10 prostate cancer cases are diagnosed at a late stage in England (2014) and Northern Ireland (2010-2014). In Scotland, this number is around six in 10 (2013-2014). One of the simplest ways of reducing the burdens on men, their families and the NHS would be to achieve a reduction in the proportion of men diagnosed with incurable advanced prostate cancer. Achieving effective early detection of prostate cancer is a win-win for patients and the NHS alike. Unfortunately, this has been easier said than done. One of the main points of contention is that the UK’s National Screening Committee claims that the harms of prostate cancer screening still outweigh the benefits. This comes from a contentious issue around the use of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing. This blood test reveals if there is a heightened level of PSA in the blood, which can be a sign of prostate cancer. The problem is that when PSA was first introduced, although it led to a decrease in mortality rates, it also led to overdiagnosis and overtreatment. Therefore, men who were at very low risk of developing lethal prostate cancer received intrusive biopsies or treatment that they potentially did not need. We have come a long way from the initial issues of decades past. Clinicians and scientists in organisations like the European Association of Urology (EAU) and Movember have worked together in multi-disciplinary teams and found ways to piece together the jigsaw puzzle of early detection.

Men should be well informed

These clinicians and scientists work with the principle that men should be well informed about the availability and utility of PSA testing. Men should be aware that they are at an increased risk of developing prostate cancer as they increase in age, when they have a family history, have the BRCA gene mutation, and/or are of African descent (see the figure above). Upon getting the PSA test result, clinicians can use widely available advanced risk calculators to decide if further tests are necessary. The introduction of new technology has brought about advances in non-invasive monitoring such as active surveillance, helping clinicians pursue the right treatment at the right time – if needed at all. This demonstrates that new technology is turning the tide on early detection of prostate cancer. PSA testing does not need to cause over-diagnosis and over-treatment anymore – but instead results in more years lived with a high quality of life for patients and a reduction in prostate cancer mortality.

How do you arouse your prostate?

Gently massage the prostate in a circular or back-and-forth motion using the pad of a finger. You can also apply gentle pressure for seven to 10...

Last updated Mar 24, 2020

What's the average time it takes to get pregnant?

30% of couples trying to conceive did so in the first month. 75% of couples conceived within 6 months. 90% of couples conceived within 1 year. 95%...

Last updated Feb 23, 2019

Promotion

What are the red flags of prostate cancer?

Problems urinating, including a slow or weak urinary stream or the need to urinate more often, especially at night. Blood in the urine or semen. Trouble getting an erection (erectile dysfunction or ED) Pain in the hips, back (spine), chest (ribs), or other areas from cancer that has spread to bones.

cancer.org - Prostate Cancer Signs and Symptoms - American Cancer Society

Signs and Symptoms of Prostate Cancer

Most prostate cancers are found early, through screening. Early prostate cancer usually causes no symptoms. More advanced prostate cancers can sometimes cause symptoms, such as: Problems urinating, including a slow or weak urinary stream or the need to urinate more often, especially at night

Blood in the urine or semen

Trouble getting an erection (erectile dysfunction or ED)

Pain in the hips, back (spine), chest (ribs), or other areas from cancer that has spread to bones Weakness or numbness in the legs or feet, or even loss of bladder or bowel control from cancer pressing on the spinal cord Most of these problems are more likely to be caused by something other than prostate cancer. For example, trouble urinating is much more often caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a non-cancerous growth of the prostate. Still, it’s important to tell your health care provider if you have any of these symptoms so that the cause can be found and treated, if needed. Some men might need more tests to check for prostate cancer.

How much turmeric should you take a day?

“It's safe to take up to 8 grams per day, but my recommendation would be somewhere on the lighter side: 500 to 1,000 milligrams a day for the...

Last updated Nov 2, 2020

How do I completely heal my heart?

It's essential to look after your own needs after heartbreak, even if you don't always feel like it. Give yourself permission to grieve. ... Take...

Last updated Jul 13, 2018

Promotion

What are the 7 domains of life?

Cummins (1996) identified the life domains of health, productivity, material wellbeing, intimacy, safety, emotional wellbeing, and community. Jun...

Last updated Oct 5, 2022

Promotion

What veggies make you sleepy?

While romaine lettuce is a powerful sleep aid, so is its healthful companion, kale. Kale and other dark green vegetables are packed to the gills...

Last updated Apr 20, 2018