Researchers Say Men’s Health Supplements Don’t Work for Prostate Cancer

An apple a day might keep the doctor away, but men’s health supplements won’t beat back the symptoms of prostate cancer. Those are the findings of a recently released study whose investigators add that these supplements may sometimes even do more harm than good.

Addressing Men’s Psychosexual Concerns After Prostate Cancer Treatment

An estimated 220,000 American men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year. Many of these men will find themselves undergoing treatment that can produce side effects that impact psychosexual health. From the potential to produce incontinence to impotence, side effects are common, but are not guaranteed with treatment. Researchers are finding, however, that prevalence is high enough that patients and their doctors should not only be aware of them, they should have an open dialogue about them.

Radiation Techniques Deliver Stronger, Safer Prostate Cancer Care

While many men find their prostate cancer is low-grade and slow growing, that’s not always the case. For those who discover more aggressive treatments are recommended to tackle cancer that’s equally as aggressive, the news can be disheartening. After all, the side effects associated with some prostate cancer treatments are a bit intimidating even if the outcome of their use is a greater chance of survival. Enter a relatively new form of radiation therapy that gets to the heart of the matter without necessarily damaging nearby healthy cells.

Why Black Men Should Pay Attention to Their Prostates

Prostate cancer is a man’s disease that can prove fatal. Some men, however, are much more likely than others to develop it and some are even more likely to die from the cause. With this in mind, it’s critical for all men of advancing years to discuss screening with their healthcare providers. Black men especially will want to make sure screening is a part of their regular healthcare protocol starting around the age of 40.

Certain Protein May Play Role in Cancer Development

Unlocking the mystery of just how and why the body’s programming runs amok to create cancer has long been the focus of study. Now, researchers at Texas A&M say they may have uncovered insights into the role a certain stem cell protein plays in the development of breast and prostate cancer. Their work may one day pave the way for more effective long-term treatments that prevent recurrence entirely.

Prostate Surgery Is One Prostate Cancer Treatment Option

With age, the prostate gland of a man usually enlarges. However, the only reason behind this may not be due to cancer. This state is referred to as prostatic hyperplasia.

If you experience any of the following symptoms then you may need to consult a doctor:

•    Pain when passing urine
•    Passing urine more often than usual, especially at night
•    Difficulty passing urine
•    Urgency to rush to the toilet to pass urine
•    Blood in the urine or semen
•   
Patients in good health are usually offered surgery, although some men may be treated through prostate cancer radiation treatment. The following types of surgery are used:

•    Pelvic Lymphadenectomy – This procedure removes the lymph nodes in the pelvis. Then these nodes are tested under a microscope. If the lymph nodes contain cancer, the doctor will not remove the prostate and may recommend other treatment.
•    Radical prostatectomy – This procedure removes the prostate along with the surrounding tissues and seminal vesicle.
•    Transurethral resection of the prostate – In this procedure tissue from the prostate is removed with the help of a surgery. This procedure may also be done to relieve symptoms caused a tumor much before the actual cancer treatment is started. This treatment is done for those patients who cannot undergo radical prostatectomy because of age or illness.

Doctors will suggest the best prostate cancer treatment depending on which state the cancer has reached.

Options for Prostate Cancer Treatment

There is certainly no “one size fits all” treatment option for prostate cancer. It is highly important to understand the pros and cons of each treatment before finalizing on the cancer treatment. Consider each option, in conjunction with your physicians, and make a decision based on their expert advice. This is because men diagnosed with prostate cancer not only have to consider the treatment options thoroughly but will also have to take into account their personal health, age and many other related factors

Patient’s decision-making process will certainly include a combination of psychological and clinical factors, including

• The requirement for therapy
• Risk levels of each treatment
• Personal circumstances
• Patients opinion about each therapy based on benefits, risks and intuition

It is advisable to seek the help of all three types of prostate cancer treatment specialists - a radiologist, an urologist, and a medical oncologist. This will give you an appropriate assessment of the each treatment and expected results. Prostate cancer treatments include the following –

·         Active Surveillance

·         Surgery

·         Radiation Therapy

·         Hormone Therapy

·         Chemotherapy

·         Other treatment options

·         Emergency Treatment Options

·          

Depending on which stage the prostate has reached, patients health and age, doctors will suggest the best treatment which will certainly help you fight this disease.