Prostate is a part of the male reproductive system. It is located at the side of the penis and testicle. Prostate is a small gland that can be found in the groin and surrounds the tube connected to the bladder that is known as urethra. Prostate is easily found in between the base of the penis and rectum. Function of the prostate is to provide seminal fluid semen as its lubrication and mixed with sperm from the testes. Hence, the prostate plays a role in the sperm viability and motility which contributes to a healthy male reproductive system. However, what happens when there is a problem with the prostate such as in prostate cancer? One thing for sure, there are medicines such as Casodex 50 mg to help treat prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer is a common cancer in male population. This type of cancer is the common cancer next to skin and lung cancers. It is estimated that 1 in 8 men will be affected by prostate cancer at some point of their life. Prostate cancer is typically diagnosed when a person reaches 65 years old and above. 1 in 40 men diagnosed with prostate cancer die from this disease. The number of men that die from prostate cancer can be reduced significantly if more men understand early signs of prostate cancer. This is because prostate cancer is actually a disease that can be treated when it is diagnosed at an early stage. These are the 5 early signs of prostate cancer:
1) Painful or burning sensation when passing urine or ejaculation
2) Increase frequency of urination especially at night
3) Difficulty to initiate passing urine (hesitancy)
4) Presence of blood in urine or semen
5) Sudden erectile dysfunction or difficulty to get erection
These 5 early signs should serve as warning signs of prostate cancer. Other symptoms such as weak urine flow, feeling bladder not fully emptied after urination, taking longer time when urinating and increased tendency to go to the toilet should also be treated as signs of possible prostate cancer. Patients need to understand that whenever a person experiences these symptoms, it does not directly or definitely mean they have prostate cancer because such symptoms may also be a sign of other non-cancerous disease causing prostate enlargement such as benign prostate hyperplasia. These early signs of prostate cancer will be different when the prostate cancer reaches advanced stages. In this stage, patients are likely to experience fatigue, pain in the back, unexplained bone pain and unintentional weight loss. In advanced stages, usually the cancer cell has spread far beyond the prostate. It is worth noting that in some people, they might not have any symptoms at all even if they have already reached an advanced stage.
It is important for male to get themselves checked when they do experience symptoms associated with prostate cancer. This is to eliminate the possibility of other medical conditions that may resemble prostate cancer. Plus, by doing so, a person can feel at ease knowing the exact diseases that they are experiencing rather than feeling worried about uncertain diseases. If a person is already confirmed with a diagnosis of prostate cancer, it can be devastating news and it is part of humans to feel low or upset about it. However, never think this is the end of life. What is important at this time is to seek treatment and to closely follow all doctor’s advice or instructions. Reports show that the survival rate for a person with prostate cancer, approximately 5 years after getting diagnosed with cancer is 85% and almost 80% with prostate cancer actually live more than 10 years from the time they are diagnosed with the cancer. Thus, to seek early diagnosis and prompt treatment can warrant a higher survival rate. Fortunately, many treatments are available and effective especially at the early-stage prostate cancer. The slow-growing nature of prostate cancer actually benefits the people as they will have more time and chance to get treatment. Treatment ranges from medicine to surgery and/or radiotherapy.
Prostate cancer, similar to any other cancer, is indeed terrifying. The negative thoughts that surround a patient’s mind can eventually take a toll on their mental health and social circle. Thus, it is important for people diagnosed with prostate cancer to understand that to feel such negative emotions is completely normal as a human. However, such emotions should be addressed wisely by talking to a mental health professional such as a psychologist or psychiatrist for support and advice. If patients are unsure who to talk to, having discussion with a healthcare provider may help to steer away those negative feelings and for doctors to suggest on where to get emotional support. Truthfully, having discussion or talking with someone they trust may help patients to get moral support or ideas on how to support patients during this difficult time. A person with prostate cancer needs to get enough rest and may need more time to recover from the treatments they received. Beside that, patients need to learn how to manage their stress as stress may actually worsen the disease. Public needs to know that prostate cancer may or may not cause disability and the best way to help a person with prostate cancer is simply by asking “what can I do to help you today?”.
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