How Common Is Prostate Cancer In Australia
Diagnosis
- Estimated 18,223 new cases diagnosed in 2020
- Most common diagnosed cancer in males
- 1 in every 130 males aged to 75 years dies from prostate cancer
- Prostate cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in males
- 4% of all male deaths in 2019 were from prostate cancer
- 3,376 deaths from prostate cancer are estimated in 2020
Burden of Disease
- Prostate cancer is the third most common cancer in males that contributes to Australias cancer burden in 2011
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People
- Indigenous Australians are 20% less likely to die from prostate cancer than non-indigenous Australians
Remoteness Area
- Men living in inner regional areas were 1.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than those living in very remote areas
- Men living in very remote areas are 1.2 times more likely to die from prostate cancer than those from major cities
Socioeconomic group
- Men in the lowest socioeconomic group were 1.2 times more likely to die from prostate cancer than compared with the highest group
Support Prostate Cancer Awareness
Whether youre a man or a woman, prostate cancer can affect you or someone you know. Thats why were joining with so many people around the country in recognizing Prostate Cancer Awareness Month this September.
Get involved by sharing the facts with others, donating your money for new cancer research, or simply using the #StepUp hashtag to spread awareness on social media you might just encourage a man in your life to get screened. Every little bit helps, but it all helps in a big way.
What Kind Of Treatment Will I Need
There are many ways to treat prostate cancer. The main kinds of treatment are observation, active surveillance, surgery, radiation, hormone therapy, and chemo. Sometimes more than one kind of treatment is used.
The treatment thats best for you will depend on:
- Your age
- Any other health problems you might have
- The stage and grade of the cancer
- Your feelings about the need to treat the cancer
- The chance that treatment will cure the cancer or help in some way
- Your feelings about the side effects that might come with treatment
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What Is The Prostate
The prostate is a small gland in the pelvis and is part of the male reproductive system.
About the size of a walnut, it’s located between the penis and the bladder, and surrounds the urethra.
The main function of the prostate is to produce a thick white fluid that creates semen when mixed with the sperm produced by the testicles.
Talk With Your Doctor
Prostate cancer is a risk for all men as they age, but if its caught and treated early, the outlook is generally very good. So as you get older, be sure to have open conversations with your doctor about your risk.
If you have any symptoms you think might be prostate cancer, talk to your doctor right away. And even if you dont have symptoms, consider adopting a healthy lifestyle to decrease your risk.
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How Is Sbrt Different From Conventional Radiation Therapy For Prostate Cancer
Conventional radiotherapy can take up to 9 weeks. With this approach, you receive low doses of radiation on a daily basis. These low doses are necessary to avoid affecting your bladder or rectum.
Healthcare professionals can complete SBRT more quickly than conventional therapy because the intense, focused beams of radiation only target the prostate, not the areas around it. Thus, the bladder and rectum arent exposed to it.
SBRT involves a shorter treatment period than conventional radiotherapy. This may be more convenient if you keep a busy schedule or find it hard to come into the hospital regularly.
Prostate Cancer: What You Need To Know
Soroush Rais-Bahrami, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Urology and co-director for the UAB Program for Personalized Prostate Cancer Care.In 2016, more than 180,890 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, the second leading cause of cancer death in men. Next to skin cancers, prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in American men.
Mens health and prostate cancer are topics that many tend to shy away from, but they need to be discussed more openly, said Soroush Rais-Bahrami, M.D., assistant professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in the Department of Urology and co-director for the UAB Program for Personalized Prostate Cancer Care. One out of eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his life.
The prostate is a reproductive gland in men located between the bladder and the penis. The fluid from the prostate is discharged into the urethra at the time of ejaculation as part of the semen to nourish and stabilize sperm for reproductive purposes.
Prevention
Many men do not know their family history of prostate cancer because men tend not to talk about their health concerns, even with children and other family members, Rais-Bahrami said. It is important to discuss family history due to the significantly higher risk for men with a first-degree relative who has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Diagnosis
Treatment
Current research
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Whats The Typical Dosage
Hormone therapy can be used alone or in combination with other therapies. It may also be used before or after other therapies.
Lupron is administered by injection. The dosage will vary according to your particular situation. Here are some typical dosage options your doctor may prescribe:
- 1 mg once per day, varying the injection site
- 7.5 mg every 4 weeks
- 22.5 mg every 12 weeks
- 30 mg every 16 weeks
- 45 mg every 24 weeks
If you stop taking Lupron, youll start producing testosterone again.
You will experience some changes when your hormone levels fluctuate or have a substantial drop. Its a good idea to talk about this in advance so youre not caught off guard.
Consider asking some of these questions when you consult with your doctor:
- Why do you recommend treatment with Lupron?
- How often will I have to take the drug?
- Will I administer it myself or will I need to come in to the clinic?
- How often will we test to see if its working?
- How long will I have to take it?
- What should I do if I miss a dose or if I stop taking it?
- What are the potential side effects, and can we do anything about them?
- Are there any other medications, supplements, or foods I should avoid while taking Lupron?
- If it doesnt work, what are the next steps?
, the relative five-year survival rates for men with prostate cancer, compared to men without the disease, are:
Your doctor can give you an idea what to expect from your treatment with Lupron.
How Serious Is My Cancer
If you have prostate cancer, the doctor will want to find out how far it has spread. This is called the stage of the cancer. You may have heard other people say that their cancer was stage 1 or stage 2. Your doctor will want to find out the stage of your cancer to help decide what types of treatment might be best for you.
The stage is based on the growth or spread of the cancer through the prostate, and if it has spread to other parts of your body. It also includes your blood PSA level and the grade of the cancer. The prostate cancer cells are given a grade, based on how they look under a microscope. Those that look very different from normal cells are given a higher grade and are likely to grow faster. The grade of your cancer might be given as a Gleason score or a Grade Group . Ask your doctor to explain the grade of your cancer. The grade also can helpdecide which treatments might be best for you.
Your cancer can be stage 1, 2, 3, or 4. The lower the number, the less the cancer has spread. A higher number, like stage 4, means a more serious cancer that has spread outside the prostate.
If your cancer hasn’t spread to other parts of the body, it might also be given a risk group. The risk group is based on the extent of the cancer in the prostate, your PSA level, and the results of the prostate biopsy. The risk group can help tell if other tests should be done, and what the best treatment options might be.
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So What Is Prostate Cancer
It is when abnormal cells in your prostate grow out of control. Prostate cancer cells can form a tumor in your gland and spread by breaking away from the tumor. They can travel through blood vessels or lymph vessels to reach other parts of the body. After spreading, cancer cells may attach to other organs and tissues and continue to grow to form new tumors.
What Is Your Prostate And What Does It Do
Your prostate is a small gland that lives inside your body, just below your bladder. It sits around the urethra, which is the tube that carries pee from your bladder through your penis. Only men have a prostate.
Your prostate produces some of the fluids contained in your semen, the liquid that transports sperm. This liquid contains special enzymes and hormones that help your sperm cells function properly, which means the prostate plays a key part in your fertility. The muscles in your prostate also help push semen through your urethra when you ejaculate.
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A Curable Cancer When Caught Early
If you have prostate cancer, the good news is that early detection is likely to lead to a cure. The bad news is that few men get the annual prostate cancer screenings that make it possible to catch it and cure it. Most prostate cancer cases are highly treatable and the survival rate is high, if diagnosed in the early stages. There are many effective options for prostate cancer treatment and in order to find the right treatment for you, your SignatureMD-affiliated doctor may consider the following options:
During Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, look for ways to support prostate cancer awareness, and give the men in your life the support they need to get annual prostate cancer screenings.
What Are The Symptoms Of Prostate Cancer
In most cases, prostate cancer causes no symptoms.
In rare cases, men may experience certain symptoms when they have advanced prostate cancer. However, these symptoms are also present in many men who do not have cancer, so it is best to discuss them with a doctor before jumping to any conclusions. Some of these symptoms can include difficulty emptying the bladder, blood in the urine, and bone pains.
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Prostate Cancer Is Slow
Sometimes. Other times, prostate cancer spreads quickly and can kill. And it’s hard to predict what a man’s cancer will do.
Because experts can’t always tell if a man’s cancer will be aggressive, many men who are diagnosed face a difficult choice: a treatment that might not be needed and could leave them with life-changing side effects, or to watch and wait and hope the cancer doesn’t spread and need treatment. And men often have to make a choice between other treatments, which each have different pros and cons.
Our Specialist Nurses support men facing tough treatment decisions, and we produce award-winning health information to help them navigate complex medical issues.
You can help us be there for men when they need support by volunteering, donating, or marching with us.
What Should Men Know About Treatment Today And How Effective Is Treatment
Men should be aware that there are a variety of treatment options available. These can be customized to patients unique cancer and more importantly their personal wishes. In appropriate clinical settings, I offer patients surgical options such as robotic prostatectomy, which allows precise removal of cancer via a minimally invasive manner. Patients typically experience less pain and a quicker recovery, so they can get back to daily life faster.*
I am happy to share news that Palmdale Regional Medical Center now offers the latest da Vinci® Xi platform so patients can get their cancer care close to home. While localized therapies offer the best chance of cure, even in advanced or metastatic settings , prostate cancer can be managed long term to minimize complications.
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What You Need To Know About Prostate Cancer
- Posted in Urology
According to the American Cancer Society, about 1 in 9 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime. As one of the most common cancers among men, prostate cancer affects more than 174,650 men each year.
Early diagnosis and increased awareness are the best ways to reduce the severity of this serious disease. Thats why this , we are celebrating Prostate Cancer Awareness Week. Men across the country are encouraged to get a baseline prostate health screening a simple screening test, which can lead to early diagnosis and treatment.
Whether you or a loved one is at risk for prostate cancer, it is important to understand the signs and symptoms of the cancer and the different treatment options.
What All Men Should Know About Prostate Cancer
How do you catch it early? Men often report that an elevated “Prostate Specific Antigen” blood test led to the diagnosis. Some feel that this simple test saved their lives.
There are many varieties of prostate cancer. It may be very slow growing and needs to be monitored rather than treated. Or it can have various degrees of aggressiveness. A biopsy is needed to determine what type. In some cases, genomics tests may be useful to understand its cause and aggressiveness. Imaging may be useful to see if it has spread and which treatment options can be effective.
Side effects can have a big impact on your Quality of Life. This can impact your marriage and financial security.
So, early detection is critical. It leads to both better oncologic control and fewer side effects.
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Causes Of Prostate Cancer
The causes of prostate cancer are largely unknown. But certain things can increase your risk of developing the condition.
The chances of developing prostate cancer increase as you get older. Most cases develop in men aged 50 or older.
For reasons not yet understood, prostate cancer is more common in black men and less common in Asian men.
Men whose father or brother were affected by prostate cancer are at slightly increased risk themselves.
Recent research also suggests that obesity increases the risk of prostate cancer.
From Diagnosis To Treatment For Prostate Cancer
If you or a loved one has signs, symptoms, or risk factors for prostate cancer, consider asking a urology doctor for a screening exam. Your doctor may take a detailed medical history, conduct a physical examination and use different tests such as a digital rectal exam, PSA blood test, or a biopsy to confirm a diagnosis.
If a diagnosis is confirmed, rest assured you will be in good care. The specialists at Saint Johns Cancer Center for Urology and Urologic Oncology are pioneers in the treatment of prostate cancer. We offer the most advanced treatments for prostate cancer, including Focal One, the worlds most advanced high intensity focused ultrasound technology that reduces the risk of damaging healthy tissue and minimizes side effects. This technology is available for men diagnosed with localized prostate cancer. Not all men are candidates for HIFU and need whole gland treatment. A careful selection process and detailed analysis for the right treatment for the right individual case is extremely important.
Dont wait for prostate cancer to happen. Get Screened Today!
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How Is Prostate Cancer Detected And Diagnosed
The most common tests are:
Digital Rectal Examination If your doctor is testing for prostate cancer, they may want to do a physical examination to determine if the prostate feels hard or bumpy.
PSA Test The Prostate-Specific Antigen blood test is a screening tool for early detection of prostate cancer. It measures the level of prostate specific antigen in the blood, which is produced by the prostate gland. PSA levels in the blood naturally increase with increasing age. Higher levels than normal are a possible indicator for prostate cancer. PSA levels can also rise due to benign prostatic enlargement, inflammation or infection. As a cancer screening tool, the test is not perfect, with high numbers of false positive and some false negatives.
Prostate Biopsy Under ultrasound guidance a biopsy needle is inserted into the prostate by a Urologist and a core or sample is removed to determine if any cancer cells are present. This is the only way to provide a definitive diagnosis of prostate cancer. When examined under the microscope a pathologist will report the number of positive and/or negative cores, as well as the Gleason Grade if positive for cancer.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging An MRI may indicate evidence of cancer in the prostate gland, particularly if you have a high or rising prostate-specific antigen level.
Speak Up About Your Symptoms
Prostate cancer doesnt usually cause symptoms in its early stages, which is why screening can be vital. If prostate cancer is more advanced, it can cause symptoms that men may feel embarrassed to bring up with loved ones, or even a healthcare provider, including:
- Problems urinating, especially at night
- Blood in urine or semen
- Trouble getting an erection
- Pain in the hips, back, chest, or other areas
- Weakness or numbness in the legs or feet
- Loss of bladder or bowel control from cancer pressing on the spinal cord
They may not be easy to discuss, but theyre critical to mention to your doctor.
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