The human body is made up of millions of cells. All cells – except brain cells – have a cycle; new cells are formed when a cell divides and breaks down. New cells are needed to replace those which could no longer function and are dying. In healthy cells, cell growth and division are usually regular and well controlled. But sometimes this process gets out of hand. Cells continue to divide, even though there is no need to do so – in addition to maintaining and renewing tissues – a tumor, called a tumor, forms.
Benign and malignant tumors
There are benign and malignant tumors. The cells in a benign tumor do not travel to other parts of the body, but as the tumor grows it can cause problems by putting pressure on surrounding tissues and organs.
A malignant tumor is called cancer
The primary tumor shows where the cancer starts, but cancer cells can travel to nearby tissue – this is called localized advancement. Cells take up more and more space, and they can enter healthy parts of the body near the tumor and destroy them.
Cancerous tumors of the prostate can block the flow of urine, and if left untreated, they can attack other parts of the body. For many men, prostate cancer grows slowly without causing problems until it has spread beyond the prostate gland. However, some men may develop cancer faster. It is important that prostate cancer is diagnosed early in its development to assess its aggressiveness and start treatment before it spreads. Prostate cancer in developed countries is the first or second most common cancer in men and the third most common globally.
Most diseases show symptoms, prostate cancer does not always, and sometimes they only show up at a more advanced stage.
Risk factors
- advanced age; all men over 50 have an increased risk of prostate cancer;
- heredity; if someone in a close family has had prostate cancer, the risk of developing the disease is greater;
- ethnic factors; prostate cancer is more common in Africans and Americans than, for example, in Asians;
- A diet high in animal fats with little fruit, vegetables, and fish may increase your risk of developing the disease.
Treatment options
There are many ways to treat each stage of prostate cancer. To decide on how to treat an individual patient, the doctor defines prostate cancer. It can be defined as: limited (located in the gland), locally advanced (large prostate tumor or which has spread not too far from the original tumor), metastatic (tumor cells travel far from their original site and form numerous new cancerous lesions). Treatment options for prostate or locally advanced cancer include surgery, radiotherapy, hormone therapy, cryotherapy (exposure to extreme cold to destroy abnormal or diseased tissues), a combination of some of these treatments, and careful monitoring.
It is not possible to discuss all treatment options for this cancer here. Contact your urologist to find out more.
Read also: Radical removal of a prostate tumor extends life by 20 years