prostate cancer

prostate cancer disease in which cancer develops in the prostate, a gland in the malereproductive system. It occurs when cells of the prostate mutate and begin to multiply out of control. These cells may spread (metastasize) from the prostate to other parts of the body, especially the bones and lymph nodes. Prostate cancer may cause pain, difficulty in urinating, erectile dysfunction and other symptoms.

prostate cancer

Rates of prostate cancer vary widely across the world. Although the rates vary widely between countries, it is least common in South and East Asia, more common in Europe, and most common in the United States.

[1] According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is least common among Asian men and most common among black men, with figures for white men in-between.

[2]However, these high rates may be affected by increasing rates of detection.

[3]Prostate cancer develops most frequently in men over fifty. This cancer can occur only in men, as the prostate is exclusively of the male reproductive tract. It is the most common type of cancer in men in the United States, where it is responsible for more male deaths than any other cancer, except lung cancer. However, many men who develop prostate cancer never have symptoms, undergo no therapy, and eventually die of other causes. Many factors, including genetics and diet, have been implicated in the development of prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is most often discovered by physical examination or by screening blood tests, such as the PSA (prostate specific antigen) test. There is some current concern about the accuracy of the PSA test and its usefulness. Suspected prostate cancer is typically confirmed by removing a piece of the prostate (biopsy) and examining it under a microscope. Further tests, such as X-rays and bone scans, may be performed to determine whether prostate cancer has spread.

Prostate cancer can be treated with surgery, radiation therapy, hormonal therapy, occasionally chemotherapy, proton therapy, or some combination of these. The age and underlying health of the man as well as the extent of spread, appearance under the microscope, and response of the cancer to initial treatment are important in determining the outcome of the disease. Since prostate cancer is a disease of older men, many will die of other causes before a slowly advancing prostate cancer can spread or cause symptoms. This makes treatment selection difficult.[5] The decision whether or not to treat localized prostate cancer (a tumor that is contained within the prostate) with curative intent is a patient trade-off between the expected beneficial and harmful effects in terms of patient survival and quality of life.

treatment
Prostate Cancer Treatment Methods

Treatment for prostate cancer may involve watchful waiting, surgery, radiation therapy, or hormonal therapy. Some patients receive a combination of therapies. In addition, doctors are studying other methods of treatment to find out whether they are effective against this disease. (The "Promise of Cancer Research" section has information about research studies.)

Watchful waiting may be suggested for some men who have prostate cancer that is found at an early stage and appears to be slow growing. Also, watchful waiting may be advised for older men or men with other serious medical problems. For these men, the risks and possible side effects of surgery, radiation therapy, or hormonal therapy may outweigh the possible benefits. Men with early stage prostate cancer are taking part in a study to determine when or whether treatment may be necessary and effective. (See "The Promise of Prostate Cancer Research" section for information about this study.)

Surgery is a common treatment for early stage prostate cancer. The doctor may remove all of the prostate (a type of surgery called radical prostatectomy) or only part of it. In some cases, the doctor can use a new technique known as nerve-sparing surgery. This type of surgery may save the nerves that control erection. However, men with large tumors or tumors that are very close to the nerves may not be able to have this surgery.

The doctor can describe the types of surgery and can discuss and compare their benefits and risks.

* In radical retropubic prostatectomy, the doctor removes the entire prostate and nearby lymph nodes through an incision in the abdomen.

* In radical perineal prostatectomy, the doctor removes the entire prostate through an incision between the scrotum and the anus. Nearby lymph nodes are sometimes removed through a separate incision in the abdomen.

* In transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), the doctor removes part of the prostate with an instrument that is inserted through the urethra. The cancer is cut from the prostate by electricity passing through a small wire loop on the end of the instrument. This method is used mainly to remove tissue that blocks urine flow.

If the pathologist finds cancer cells in the lymph nodes, it is likely that the disease has spread to other parts of the body. Sometimes, the doctor removes the lymph nodes before doing a prostatectomy. If the prostate cancer has not spread to the lymph nodes, the doctor then removes the prostate. But if cancer has spread to the nodes, the doctor usually does not remove the prostate, but may suggest other treatment.

Mesothelomia Diagnosis

A proper diagnosis is essential to a treatment plan

• The National Cancer Institute states that: "Malignant Mesothelomia, a rare form of cancer, is a disease in which cancer (malignant) cells are found in the sac lining the chest (the pleura) or abdomen (the peritoneum).

• Most people with malignant mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they breathed asbestos.
• A doctor should be seen if a person has shortness of breath, pain in the chest, or pain or swelling in the abdomen.

• If there are symptoms, the doctor may order an x-ray of the chest or abdomen.

• The doctor may look inside the chest cavity with a special instrument called a thoracoscope.

• A cut will be made through the chest wall and the thoracoscope will be put into the chest between two ribs.

• This test, called thoracoscopy, is usually done in the hospital. Before the test, the patient will be given a local anesthetic (a drug that causes a loss of feeling for a short period of time).

• Some pressure may be felt, but usually there is no pain.

• The doctor may also look inside the abdomen (peritoneoscopy) with a special tool called a peritoneoscope.

• The peritoneoscope is put into an opening made in the abdomen.

• This test is also usually done in the hospital. Before the test is done, a local anesthetic will be given.

• If tissue that is not normal is found, the doctor will need to cut out a small piece and have it looked at under a microscope to see if there are any cancer cells. This is called a biopsy.

• Biopsies are usually done during the thoracoscopy or peritoneoscopy.

• The treatment program depends on the size of the cancer, where the cancer is, how far the cancer has spread, how the cancer cells look under the microscope, how the cancer responds to treatment, and the patient's age and desires.

• The dense white encircling tumor mass is arising from the visceral pleura and is a mesothelioma. These are big bulky tumors that can fill the chest cavity.

• The risk factor for mesothelioma is asbestos exposure.

• However, mesothelioma is rare even in persons with asbestos exposure.

• Asbestosis more commonly predisposes to bronchogenic carcinomas, increasing the risk by a factor of five.

• Smoking increases the risk for lung cancer by a factor of ten.

• Thus, smokers with a history of asbestos exposure have a risk 50 fold greater likelihood of for developing lung cancer.

• This is the causative agent for asbestosis. This long, thin object is an asbestos fiber.

• Many houses and offices still contain building materials with asbestos, particularly insulation, so care must be taken when doing remodelling or reconstruction.

• The asbestos fiber becomes coated with iron and calcium, which is why it is often referred to as a "ferruginous body" as seen here with an iron stain.

• Ingestion of these fibers by macrophages sets off a fibrogenic response via release of growth factors that promote collagen deposition by fibroblasts.

• Another gross lesion typical for pneumoconioses, and asbestosis in particular, is a fibrous pleural plaque. Seen here on the pleural side of the diaphragmatic leaves are several tan-white pleural plaques.

treatments of Mesothelioma

• The most common treatments are

• Surgery, where the tissue in the affected area is cut out.

• This may involve removing part of the organ depending on the size of the affected area.

• Chemotherapy, which is the use of drugs in the body used to kill off the cancerous cells.

• Radiation treatment, involving the use of radiation treatment to kill off the cancerous cells in the affected area.

• Pneumonectomy that's to say removing the diseased lung.

• An extra-pleural pneumonectomy may be necessary depending upon the spread of the disease, and this may involve the removal of parts of the diaphragm as well as the lung.

• There is a high risk factor with this surgery, and its viability is dependant upon the patient’s overall health, smoking habits and the extent of the asbestos exposure.

• A pleurectomy is another type of surgery that may be used, and here part of the chest, abdominal lining and surrounding tissue may be removed.

Diagnosing of mesothelioma

• The diagnosis of mesothelioma is difficult.

• doctors are still unfamiliar with the symptoms which could be put down to a number of other, more common diseases.

• Timely diagnosis of mesothelioma is particularly difficult because of the latency period between contraction and display of symptoms -up to forty years.

• The symptoms of this cancer may not become evident for decades, which means that by the time it is diagnosed it is in its latter stages and there is little that can be done for the patient.

Symptoms of mesothelioma

• Most people who have worked with asbestos on a daily basis begin to show symptoms of mesothelioma thirty to forty years later.

• By this time, the disease is already spreading and with the delay in diagnosis, makes it almost impossible to treat in many cases before it is too late.

• However, the cause, effects and symptoms of mesothelioma are now becoming more widely known by professionals.

• This awareness and the current clinical trials that are being carried out by a variety of organizations gives patients the hope that an effective treatment will one day be available for all stages of the disease.

types of mesothelomia

Mesothelioma comes in three forms:
- pleural mesothelioma
- peritoneal mesothelioma
- and pericardial mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma - cancer of the mesothelium, the sac that lines and protects vital organs- normally presents itself in malignant form and results in tumours in and around vital organs of the body.
The symptoms of all types of mesothelioma manifest up to 40 years after exposure This can make the disease difficult to diagnose and all too often is too late to save the patient by the time a diagnosis is made.

mesothelomia

• The people mostly threaten by mesothelomia have worked with asbestos over the past thirty to fifty years.
• Men between the ages of sixty and seventy are mainly concerned, but also those who have had regular contact with a person who has worked with asbestos.
• The workers who were exposed to asbestos regularly carried dust and fibres on their clothes, skin and in their hair and the fibres and dust could be ingested by family members, who were then at risk of also developing mesothelioma, respiratory problems or another asbestos related disease
• The organs most affected by mesothelioma are the lungs and the surrounding tissue.
• The most common type of mesothelioma is the pleural mesothelioma, which affects the lining of the lungs. Symptoms are breathing and swallowing difficulties, coughing, shortness of breath, fever and weight loss.
• Another type of mesothelioma is the peritoneal mesothelioma.
• This type of mesothelioma is not as common as pleural mesothelioma.
• Symptoms are nausea and vomiting, weight loss and loss of appetite, fever, bowel obstruction and pain or swelling of the stomach area.
• The third type of mesothelioma, more rare, is the pericardial mesothelioma which affects the heart and the tissue surrounding it.
• Symptoms can include palpitations, breathing difficulties, and persistent coughing.
• Because symptoms of mesothelioma are very common to loads of other diseases, many people got away with this for years.
• People who have worked with asbestos should always let their doctor know this: a speedy diagnosis is important to the effective treatment of mesothelioma.
• The faster the mesothelioma is diagnosed and treated, the more chance of success, which is why it is important to get as fast a diagnosis as possible.
• The treatments for mesothelioma include surgery, radiation therapy, palliative therapy and chemotherapy.