What is Prostate Cancer?
In some cases, a growth in the prostate is cancerous. Prostate cancer is different in different men. Sometimes the cancer stays in the prostate gland and has little or no effect on how a man feels or how long he lives. Some men with prostate cancer have no symptoms – in other words, it is possible to have prostate cancer without the prostate being enlarged, without urinary problems, and without pain. About seven out of every 10 men diagnosed with prostate cancer will not die from this disease – rather they will die with the disease and from other causes such as heart disease, stroke or old age. Prostate cancer can also be serious and fatal and it is therefore important to talk with your doctor to understand if you are at risk.
Prostate cancer is the most common type of male genital cancers, mainly seen in elder men. In this disease, cancer cells are first formed in the prostate and can then spread to other parts of the body, such as bones, lungs, and liver. In Hong Kong, prostate cancer is the sixth commonest cancer and eighth leading cause of cancer death in men. For more information, see the prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer is a condition in which malignant cells form in the prostate, one of the male reproductive glands. These cells form a lump or mass called a tumor that can grow directly through the prostate gland and spread cancer cells to surrounding tissue, including the rectum and bladder. This year, over 220,000 new cases are expected to be diagnosed with prostate cancer, or one out of every six men. An estimated 28,900 American men will die of this disease.
Most cancers are named after the part of the body where the cancer first starts. Prostate cancer starts in the prostate gland, which is found only in men. The prostate is about the size of a walnut and is located just below the bladder, in front of the rectum. The prostate gland makes a fluid that is part of semen.
Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer in men in America. Prostate cancer is a malignant tumor that most often begins in the outer part of the prostate. As the tumor grows, it may spread to the inner part of the prostate. Cancer that is confined within the prostate and has not spread is called localized prostate cancer. Like other cancers, however, prostate cancer can spread (metastasize), first locally in the tissues around the prostate or into the seminal vesicles (sac-like structures attached to the prostate). Locally advanced cancers may spread to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes or bones.
