For American men, prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer. With proper monitoring and treatment, however, it doesn’t have to affect your quality of life. The team of dedicated experts at Greater Hartford Urology Group provides exceptional prostate cancer care. To learn more, schedule a visit to their conveniently located offices in Hartford, Enfield, and Glastonbury, Connecticut, today by calling the office or booking an appointment online.
Prostate cancer originates in your prostate, which is a small gland located between your penis and your bladder. It’s about the size of a walnut, and it’s responsible for producing and secreting the seminal fluid that nourishes, protects, and transports your sperm.
Roughly one in nine men are, at some point in their lives, diagnosed with prostate cancer. While it’s a serious condition that needs properly monitored and treated, most men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer do not die from it.
Prostate cancer doesn’t have a clearly defined cause. Generally speaking, cancer happens when your cells mutate and continue to reproduce, eventually forming a tumor.
While the exact cause is unclear, there are several factors commonly seen in those who have prostate cancer. You’re at a higher risk of developing prostate cancer if you’re older, overweight, have a family history of the condition, or are of African American descent.
Some of the warning signs or symptoms of prostate cancer include:
Prostate cancer might not show any signs when it’s in its earliest stages, however.
Diagnosing prostate cancer begins with screening. One way to screen for prostate cancer is a digital rectal exam (DRE), in which your provider inserts their gloved and lubricated finger into your rectum to manually examine your prostate for abnormalities. Another way to screen is with a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, which involves taking a blood sample and analyzing it for the presence of PSA. A high level of PSA can be indicative of a complication with your prostate.
If your prostate screening seems suspicious, your provider orders further tests to confirm a diagnosis. Those tests might include an ultrasound or taking a biopsy.
If you’ve been diagnosed with prostate cancer, there are several treatment options available to help contain or eliminate the disease.
In many cases, prostate cancer is low risk and doesn’t require immediate treatment. Your provider might instead suggest active surveillance, which involves regular blood tests, rectal exams, and biopsies to monitor the cancer.
If your prostate cancer is or becomes more severe or aggressive, some of the treatment options include:
To learn more about the prostate cancer treatments atGreater Hartford Urology Group, schedule a visit today by calling the office or booking an appointment online.
