Prostate cancer overview
Please help WikiDoc by adding more content here. It's easy! Click here to learn about editing.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
|
Prostate cancer Microchapters |
|
Diagnosis |
|---|
|
Treatment |
|
Case Studies |
|
Prostate cancer overview On the Web |
|
American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Prostate cancer overview |
|
Risk calculators and risk factors for Prostate cancer overview |
Overview
Prostate cancer is a disease in which cancer develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. It occurs when cells of the prostate mutate and begin to multiply out of control. These cells may spread (metastasize) from the prostate to other parts of the body, especially the bones and lymph nodes. Prostate cancer may cause pain, difficulty in urinating, problems during sexual intercourse, erectile dysfunction and other symptoms.
Anatomy
Treatment
Treatment for prostate cancer may involve watchful waiting, surgery, radiation therapy including brachytherapy (prostate brachytherapy) and external beam radiation, High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU), chemotherapy, cryosurgery, hormonal therapy, or some combination. Which option is best depends on the stage of the disease, the Gleason score, and the PSA level. Other important factors are the man's age, his general health, and his feelings about potential treatments and their possible side effects. Because all treatments can have significant side effects, such as erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence, treatment discussions often focus on balancing the goals of therapy with the risks of lifestyle alterations.