Prostate Cancer
Medical Author:
Kevin C. Zorn, MD, FRCSC, FACS
Coauthor:
Gagan Gautam, MD, MCh (Urology)
Medical Editor:
William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACRDr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
Prostate Cancer TreatmentYour treatment will depend on what kind of cancer cells you have, how far they have spread, your age and general health, and your preferences. You and your doctor may decide to treat your cancer with surgery, radiation, hormone therapy, or a combination. Or if you have cancer that is low-risk and has not spread (early stage), you may be able to wait and watch with active surveillance to see what happens. During active surveillance (watchful waiting), you will have regular checkups with your doctor to see if your cancer has changed. Choosing treatment for prostate cancer can be confusing. Talk with your doctor to choose the treatment that is best for you. SOURCE: Prostate Cancer OverviewThe prostate is a glandular organ present only in males. Only men develop prostate cancer. The prostate is normally about 3 cm long (slightly more than 1 inch) and lies at the neck of the bladder and in front of the rectum.
Cancer occurs when normal cells undergo a transformation in which they grow and multiply without normal controls.
Almost all prostate cancers arise from the secretory glandular cells in the prostate. Cancer arising from a glandular cell is known as adenocarcinoma. Therefore, almost all prostatic cancers are prostatic adenocarcinomas. In the United States, cancer of the prostate is a common malignant cancer in men, second only to lung cancer. According to American cancer society's most recent estimates, 192,280 new cases of prostate cancer would be diagnosed in 2009 and 27,360 would die from the disease. The estimated lifetime risk of being diagnosed with the disease is 17.6% for whites and 20.6% for African Americans. The lifetime risk of death from prostate cancer similarly is 2.8% and 4.7% respectively. Because of these numbers, prostate cancer is likely to impact the lives of a significant proportion of men that are alive today. Over the years, however, the death rate from this disease has shown a steady decline, and currently more than 2 million men in the U.S. are still alive after being diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in their lives. Viewer Comments & ReviewsProstate Cancer - Symptoms At Onset Of DiseaseThe eMedicineHealth physician editors ask:The symptoms of prostate cancer can vary greatly from patient to patient. What were your symptoms at the onset of your disease? |
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Prostate Cancer
The Male Anatomy Introduction
The male reproductive system includes the following structures:
- Penis
- Scrotum
- Testes (testicles)
- Vas deferens
- Seminal vesicles
- Prostate gland
- Urethra
Penis
The penis consists of three main parts: the root, the body, and the glans penis.
- The root is attached to the abdominal and pelvic wall.
- The body is the middle portion. The body of the penis consists of three cylindrical spaces of soft tissue. When the two larger spaces fill with blood, the penis becomes large and rigid, forming an erection.
- Two larger cylindrical spaces of soft tissue, called the corpora cavernosa, are located side by side and form the bulk of the penis.
- The third cylindrical space of soft tissue, called the corpus spongi...
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Prostate Cancer: Biology, Diagnosis, Pathology, Staging, and Natural History »
Prostate cancer is the most common noncutaneous cancer among males.
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