The prostate then presses against the bladder and urethra (the tube where urine flows) and affects the flow of urine.
It is the most common cancer in men and affects mainly older men over 50 years old.
Prostate cancer is usually slow growing and can be present for a number of years before it is detected.
Diagnosis Tests
There are variety tests to confirm this condition from physical examinations to the detecting levels of prostate-specific antigens in the blood (please note this test is not specific to detecting cancer of the prostate merely an indicator).
PMSA PET-CT
Pelvic MRI
There is no single PSA level that is considered ‘normal’ as it varies from man to man and the normal level increases with age. As a guide:
3ng/mL or less is normal for a man aged under 60 years;
4ng/mL or less is normal for a man aged 60–69 years;
5ng/mL or less is normal for a man aged over 70 years.
A reading higher than 10ng/mL can be an indication of a non-cancerous (benign) enlargement of the prostate gland. However, the higher the level of PSA, the more likely it is that the patient has prostate cancer.
If the PSA test result is outside the age-specific reference range and yet a hard, irregular prostate is felt on digital rectal examination, the patient should be referred to a hospital urologist urgently and should be seen within two weeks.
If the PSA test result is borderline normal and there is doubt about whether to refer, a second PSA test should be performed after an interval of six to eight weeks. If the second test indicates that the PSA level is rising, the patient should be referred urgently.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Guidelines. Suspected cancer: recognition and referral [NG12]. Available at: http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng12 (accessed June 2015).
Patients with lower urinary tract symptoms with high PSA levels should be referred urgently.
Men who are carriers of BRCA 1 gene mutations and BRCA 2 gene mutations variants should have screening done as this can cause faster-growing aggressive cancers independent of age.
The AUA specifically recommends offering routine prostate cancer screening every 2-4 years to men aged 50-69 years. Intervening in this age bracket can lower progression to metastatic disease and reduce prostate cancer-related deaths with long‐term follow‐up. Men in their thirties have of low risk and men of forties have slightly higher risks than men in their thirties, however there are no routine guidelines are in place, but if one suspects symptoms of this condition immediate referral to a healthcare professional is required.
Cause
Men who are carriers of BRCA 1 gene mutations and BRCA 2 gene mutations (screening tests should be done).
Those who don’t ejaculate regularly [an association between high ejaculatory frequency (more than 21 ejaculations/month) and a lower risk of prostate cancer].
More common in men of African-Caribbean or African descent, and less common in Asian men.
Men whose father or brother were affected by prostate cancer are at slightly increased risk themselves.
Anaemic (i.e. lack of oxygen in blood, due to lack of iron, folic acid or heavy blood loss)?
Blood in urine?
Difficult to start urinating and stop urinating?
General discomfort (muscle weakness), uneasiness or ill feeling (malaise) and/or fatigue (tiredness)?
Feeling bladder has not fully emptied after urinating making infections (cloudy-smelly urine, fever, nausea and vomiting, pain in abdomen) more likely?
Please talk to your healthcare professional (i.e. Medical Doctor/Pharmacist) for further advice
Detailed Information
Please copy and paste any key words from the title: Prostate Cancer in the following respective 'Medtick References and/or Sources' to find out more about the disease (this also may include diagnosis tests and generic medical treatments).
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