Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is more common in Black men, and your risk rises as you age. Image Credit: izusek/E+/GettyImages Prostate cancer has a high survival rate overall — in fact, most people who get prostate cancer will survive it — but it's still the second-leading cause of cancer death in people with prostates in the U.S., according to the American Cancer Society. That gives you an idea of how common this type of cancer is. Couple that with the reality that some of the symptoms of prostate cancer can mirror benign prostate issues, especially those associated with normal aging, and it becomes even more important to know the signs of this condition. Read on for more on the basics of prostate cancer, including risk factors, screening recommendations, how it's diagnosed and what treatments are available. What Is Prostate Cancer? Prostate cancer is cancer that originates in the prostate gland, which is only found in people assigned male at birth, according...

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Longtime morning television host and meteorologist Al Roker revealed Friday on the “Today” show that he was battling prostate cancer, and urged others to get yearly screenings in the process. Roker, 66, said he will undergo surgery to have his prostate removed this week. “It’s a good news/bad news kind of thing,” Roker said Friday. “Good news is we caught it early. Not great news is that it’s a little aggressive, so I’m going to be taking some time off to take care of this.” Roker said he publicly revealed his diagnosis to bring awareness to the number of men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer, saying, “it’s a little more common than I think people realize.” According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), prostate cancer is rare in men younger than 40, but the chance of having prostate cancer rises rapidly after age 50. About 6 in 10 cases of prostate cancer are found in men older than 65. “It’s a public service that he did, because he is raising awa...

An increased awareness on a molecular level of what mechanisms prostate cancer cells use to become mobile and start spreading may in the long run provide new opportunities for treatment of aggressive prostate cancer. This according to a new study by researchers at Umeå University, Sweden, in collaboration with researchers in Uppsala and Tokyo. "We can show that one specific amino acid in a signalling molecule plays an important role in mobilising the cancer cells and in that way increase the risk of metastases," says Professor Maréne Landström, Umeå University. This research has studied the growth factor TGF-β, Transforming Growth Factor Beta, which regulates how cells grow and specialise. Previous studies have shown an overproduction of TGF-β in many cancer forms, one being prostate cancer. High levels of TGF-β have proven to be strongly linked with poor prognosis and low survival rates as a consequence of the growth factor stimulating cancer cells to spread in the human ...

Daniel Oguna, a PET CT technologist prepares a patient for a scan procedure at Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi. [Photo: Standard] The latest and most advanced scan for evaluation of patients with prostate cancer is now available at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi. The Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA) PET CT scan has been available for only a few years and in the most advanced medical centres in the world.In a statement, the hospital said the scan allows for better treatment options of the disease while still in an early stage.In view of its higher sensitivity, this scan can identify sites of early prostate cancer spread before they are picked up by conventional imaging modalities. SEE ALSO: Hospitals opt for staff pay cuts, unpaid leave “This is bound to have a major impact on the successful outcomes of the treatment for those with prostate cancer,” a statement from the hospital read in part.Prostate Cancer PET-CT scan can detect the location and extent ...

Daniel Oguna, a PET CT technologist prepares a patient for a scan procedure at Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi. [Photo: Standard] Health & Science The machine offers hope to prostate cancer patients. The latest and most advanced scan for evaluation of patients with prostate cancer is now available at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi. The Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA) PET CT scan has been available for only a few years and in the most advanced medical centres in the world.In a statement, the hospital said the scan allows for better treatment options of the disease while still in an early stage.In view of its higher sensitivity, this scan can identify sites of early prostate cancer spread before they are picked up by conventional imaging modalities. SEE ALSO: Hospitals opt for staff pay cuts, unpaid leave “This is bound to have a major impact on the successful outcomes of the treatment for those with prostate cancer,” a statement from the hospital ...

Prostate cancer begins when cells in the prostate gland—only found in males—start to grow uncontrollably. Prostate cancer affects the gland that nourishes and propels semen and plays a role in urine control in men. Almost all prostate cancers are adenocarcinomas. These cancers develop from the gland cells (the cells that make the prostate fluid that is added to the semen). Other types of prostate cancer include: Sarcomas Small cell carcinomas Neuroendocrine tumors (other than small cell carcinomas) Transitional cell carcinomas Some prostate cancers can grow and spread quickly, but most grow gradually. There are usually no symptoms during the early stages of cancer. However, if symptoms do appear, they usually involve one or more of the following: frequent urges to urinate, including at night, difficulty commencing and maintaining urination, blood in the urine, painful urination and, less commonly, painful ejaculation, difficulty achieving or maintaining an erection may be difficu...

“Journal Article of the Month” is a new Urology Times section in which Badar M. Mian, MD (left), offers perspective on noteworthy research in the peer-reviewed literature. Dr. Mian is professor of surgery in the division of urology at Albany Medical College, Albany, NY. Act ive surveillance (AS) for low-risk prostate cancer is recommended as a viable or preferred option by most professional organizations, and it has gradually gained acceptance by most physicians who manage this condition. Several reports over the last two decades demonstrated the safety of AS for men with very low- or low-risk prostate cancer. An AS approach, unlike watchful waiting, still retains the option to treat, with an intention to cure, if treatment becomes necessary. The natural history of PSA-detected, early-stage prostate cancer is quite long, so long-term safety and efficacy of AS is of particular interest. Tosoian et al report that AS in men with very low- or low-risk, Grade Group 1 prostate cancer appea...

Act ive surveillance (AS) for low-risk prostate cancer is recommended as a viable or preferred option by most professional organizations, and it has gradually gained acceptance by most physicians who manage this condition. Several reports over the last two decades demonstrated the safety of AS for men with very low- or low-risk prostate cancer. An AS approach, unlike watchful waiting, still retains the option to treat, with an intention to cure, if treatment becomes necessary. The natural history of PSA-detected, early-stage prostate cancer is quite long, so long-term safety and efficacy of AS is of particular interest. Tosoian et al report that AS in men with very low- or low-risk, Grade Group 1 prostate cancer appears to be quite safe, with risk of metastasis or prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM) of <1% (Eur Urol Jan. 6, 2020 [Epub ahead of print]). In their large, prospective AS program, 1,818 men were enrolled after the initial prostate biopsy revealed very low-risk (1...

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani said Tuesday, he considers Bernie Kerik to not only be his ex-police commissioner but a "great man" and one of his "best friends," and he is glad President Donald Trump decided to pardon him. "He's a man that I survived Sept. 11 with," Giuliani, now Trump's personal lawyer, told Newsmax TV's "Newsmax Now" host John Bachman. "The man is a rock, and not only that, he's a very brave man." He noted Kerik also volunteered to serve in Iraq. "I used to call him up in Iraq and see how things were going, and I could hear machine guns in the background," Giuliani said. Kerik pleaded guilty in 2009 to eight federal charges related to tax fraud and false statements and was sentenced to four years in federal prison. "He made a mistake and he paid for it," Giuliani said. "He probably paid a lot more for it than he should have because of political reasons, but he d...

KEY POINTS Prostate cancer is one of those diseases that affects a lot of men nowadays Health experts: Being able to detect the symptoms early will help in treating it One of the symptoms of the disease can be detected during urination One of the most common types of cancer to affect men is prostate cancer. For the first time, it has overtaken the number of cases of breast cancer. The deadly ailment oftentimes affects men who are over 50 years old, with the risk of developing this disease increases with age. The prostate is a gland the size of a walnut situated between the penis and the bladder. The urethra goes through the center of the prostate. It also secretes fluids that nourish and protect the sperm. The Cause of Prostate Cancer The exact cause of this deadly disease is not known. Risk factors that increase the chance of developing prostate cancer have, however, been identified. Aside from age, these risk factors include ethnicity, family history, and eating habits. It...