A Decision Guide form CDC

Is prostate cancer serious?
Some prostate cancers become a serious threat to health by growing quickly, spreading beyond the prostate gland to other parts of the body, and causing death. Yet other prostate cancers grow slowly and never become a serious threat to health or affect how long a man lives. Doctors can’t always be sure what type of cancer is present in your particular case. Among the leading causes of cancer death in men, prostate cancer is second, behind lung cancer. When compared with all causes of death
in men over age 45, prostate cancer ranks fifth

What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?
Many men with prostate cancer often have no symptoms. If symptoms appear, they can include:

1. blood in the urine;
2. the need to urinate frequently, especially at night;
3. weak or interrupted urine flow;
4. pain or burning feeling while urinating;
5. the inability to urinate;
6. constant pain in the lower back, pelvis, or upper thighs

What does “screening” mean?
Screening means looking for signs of disease in people who have no
symptoms. So screening for prostate cancer is looking for early-stage disease
when treatment may be more effective. The main screening tools for
prostate cancer are the digital rectal examination (DRE) and the prostate
specific antigen (PSA) test. The DRE and PSA test cannot tell if you have
cancer; they can only suggest the need for further tests.

Download Booklet Prostate Cancer Screening

An introduction from : www.prostatecancerfondation.com
Being diagnosed with prostate cancer can be a life-altering experience. It requires making some very difficult decisions about treatments that can affect not only the life of the man diagnosed, but also the lives of his family members in significant ways for many years to come.

More than 218,000 men in the United States will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year, and each and every one of them will need to make very personal and individualized decisions about treatment options and diet and lifestyle changes. But most importantly, each and every one of them will have to find a strong, knowledgeable team of physicians, nurses, and other healthcare providers to help guide him through the process at each step of the way.
This brief introductory guide is designed to help men and their families and friends understand the risk factors for prostate cancer, find out how prostate cancer is diagnosed, and look at the different treatment options that can be used.

Download Article An Introduction to Prostate Cancer