Prostate Cancer

Prostate Cancer

Most urologists treating men with prostate cancer fail to realize that their patients' side effects may include hot flashes, diarrhea, constipation and weight change, according to a survey. The survey found that only 25 percent of urologists surveyed were aware that patients experienced at least one of these common side-effects from treatment.

Patients also were three to four times more likely than their doctors to believe they were suffering from less common side effects, such as breast enlargement and loss of muscle strength, the survey said. Cancer of the prostate, a small gland located in the male reproductive system, is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the world.

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Men after Prostate Cancer

Higher testosterone levels can temporarily stimulate tumor cell growth, possibly worsening cancers before the treatments take effect. Awareness of the physical and emotional impact of prostate cancer -- some men become impotent or suffer incontinence as a result of treatment -- has risen recently as several prominent figures have acknowledged their battle against the disease.

The survival rate for men with prostate cancer is generally good if the disease, which is rare in men younger than 50, is caught early. It is most commonly treated using radiation, surgery and hormone therapies. This is a slow-moving cancer. You still have time, to accumulate information and arm yourself with the questions you're going to ask the doctors.

It was important for men to undergo regular prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood tests, which measure PSA levels. All prostate cells produce PSA, but it is produced in unusually large amounts by cancerous cells.

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