A Brief Look At The Prostate Gland And Its Effect On Male Life

The prostate is a reasonably small gland that is approximately the size of a walnut and is situated under the bladder and in front of the rectum. An important gland, the prostate produces the fluid that helps to carry male sperm.
A very significant problem which can and frequently does strike the prostate is prostate cancer which is a life-threatening condition which presently strikes roughly one man in ten and is the second most common cause of cancer death in men today.
Just how does this condition begin?
Prostate cancer starts as a malignant tumor growing in the prostate gland which, if left untreated, can spread into the nearby tissue and organs and into the lymph nodes and bone.
What are the risk factors involved when it comes to contracting prostate cancer?
More than 70% of men affected with with disease are over the age of 65.
Men who have close blood relatives such as a father or grandfather who have suffered from cancer of the prostate are up to 11 times more likely to contract prostate cancer.
The death rate from this condition rises with weight and is especially high in obese men.
Caucasian men are more than twice as likely to develop this disease than men of African decent.
Is there anything I can do to prevent myself from contracting prostate cancer?
There is really nothing which you can do to prevent yourself from contracting this condition although many people believe that eating a healthy diet can reduce the possibilities. At present there is very little evidence to support this.
How is prostate cancer diagnosed?
There are a number of different tests available including the PSA test, a digital rectal exam and a biopsy.
The prostate specific antigen (PSA) test is a blood test which 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 an indication of a possible problem that should be investigated further.
The digital rectal exam requires your doctor to put on a glove and place a lubricated finger into the anus to feel the prostate for signs of enlargement or irregularity.
A biopsy means the doctor will take several tissue samples from the prostate gland which will then be taken to a lab where they are checked under a microscope for signs of abnormal cells.

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