Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer starts in the prostate gland, which is part of the male sexual reproductive system. It mainly affects older men. If caught and treated early, there is a good chance that it can be cured.

Causes of prostate cancer

Factors that may increase the risk of developing prostate cancer include

Advanced age (men over 60 years old)
Genetic predisposition such as having a father or brother who has had prostate cancer
A diet that is high in fat (especially animal fat)
Excessive alcohol consumption.

Having one or more of these risk factors does not necessarily mean that a person will definitely develop prostate cancer.

Symptoms of prostate cancer

Many patients don’t experience symptoms and can only be diagnosed through a PSA blood test. Therefore, screening for prostate cancer is encouraged.

For patients who experience symptoms, these typically include:

Urine retention or problems urinating
Blood in the urine
Back or leg pain
Loss of appetite and bone aches (when the cancer has spread)

Diagnosis of prostate cancer

Complete physical examination
Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test to test for a protein produced by cells in the prostate gland
Prostate biopsy
Transrectal ultrasound to provide images of the prostate gland and the surrounding tissue
CT scan of the pelvis and a bone scan to detect metastasis

Treatment of prostate cancer at KHCC

At KHCC, prostate cancer is usually addressed through a combination of treatments depending on the size of the tumor and stage of diagnosis. Treatment of localized disease includes surgery or radiotherapy. Careful watching without immediate treatment and with the intention to start treatment at initial signs of progression (active surveillance) might be an option for low-risk patients.

Treatment of disease that has spread to distant sites include hormonal therapy in the form of injections to lower the serum testosterone. A majority of patients will require other oral hormonal medications or chemotherapy during the course of the disease. Nuclear therapy may also be offered to patients who fail to respond to chemotherapy or oral hormonal agents. Treatment of disease that has spread is intended to slow down to progress of the disease, improve symptoms and quality of life, and prolong survival but it is not curative.