An Examination Of The Prostate Gland And Its Effect On Male Life
January 21st, 2009 | by Clare |
The prostate is a fairly small gland that is roughly the the same size as a walnut and is situated under the bladder and just in front of the rectum. The prostate is a very important gland that manufactures the liquid that helps to carry male sperm.
One very significant problem that can and often does arise with the prostate is prostate cancer which is a serious condition which presently strikes roughly one man in ten and is the second commonest cause of cancer death in men today.
So just how does this condition start?
Prostate cancer starts as a malignant tumor growing in the prostate gland which, without treatment, will spread over time into the nearby tissue and organs and into the bone and lymph nodes.
Exactly what are the risk factors for prostate cancer?
More than 70% of men suffering from this disease are over the age of 65.
Men with close blood relatives such as a grandfather or father who have contracted cancer of the prostate are eleven times more likely to suffer from prostate cancer at some point in their lives.
The death rate from this condition increases with weight and is particularly high in men who are obese.
Men of Caucasian decent are more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with this disease than those of African decent.
Is there anything I can do to prevent myself getting prostate cancer?
In reality there is nothing you can do to prevent yourself from developing this disease although many people believe that eating a healthy diet can reduce the possibilities. At the moment there is little if any substantive evidence to support this view.
How to go about diagnosing prostate cancer.
There are several tests available including the prostate specific antigen (PSA) test, the digital rectal examination and a biopsy.
The PSA blood test detects the level of a prostate specific antigen in the bloodstream. High prostate specific antigen levels do not mean that you have prostate cancer but are a pointer to possible problems that ought to be investigated further.
The digital rectal examination requires a doctor to wear a glove and place a lubricated finger into the anus so that he can feel the prostate for signs of enlargement or irregularity.
In the case of a prostate biopsy your doctor will take a number of tissue samples from the prostate which will then be taken to a lab where they are checked under a microscope for evidence of cancer cells.