Do You Think You Have A Prostate Problem Or Possibly Prostate Cancer?

October 30th, 2008 by admin

Most prostate cancer symptoms, although associated with prostate cancer, are more likely to be connected to non-cancerous conditions.

Prostate cancer is the third most common cause of death from cancer in men of all ages and is the most common cause of death from cancer in men over 75 years old. At an advanced age, the risks of surgery for prostate cancer or other more radical treatments may actually be worse than the disease. The main job of the prostate gland is to make seminal fluid, the milky substance that transports sperm.

The prostate gland is located directly beneath the bladder and in front of the rectum. In most men, prostate cancer grows very slowly: most men will never know they have the condition. Detected in its early stages, prostate cancer can be effectively treated and cured.

Most prostate cancer symptoms, although associated with prostate cancer, are more likely to be connected to non-cancerous conditions. If you have one or more prostate cancer symptoms, you should see a qualified doctor as soon as possible. There are several symptoms to be aware of.

Weak or interrupted flow of urine and painful or burning urination can be symptoms to watch out for. Other symptoms might include unintentional weight loss and lethargy. One of the most common symptoms is the inability to urinate at all.

Another test usually used when prostate cancer symptoms are present is the digital rectal exam (DRE) performed by the doctor. One downside to PSA testing is that health care providers are detecting and treating some very early-stage prostate cancers that may never have caused the patient any harm. A chest x-ray may be done to see if there%26#8217;s a spread of cancer.

A prostate biopsy usually confirms the diagnosis. What is called a free PSA may help tell the difference between BPH (benign prostatic hypertrophy), an enlargement of the prostate gland, and prostate cancer. The decision about whether to pursue a PSA test should be based on a discussion between you and your doctor.

Other medications used for horm

onal therapy, with side effects, include androgen-blocking agents, which prevent testosterone from attaching to prostate cells. Whether radiation is as good as prostate removal is debatable and the decision about which to choose, if any, can be difficult. Anyone considering surgery should be aware of the benefits, risks and the extent of the procedure.

Prostate cancer that has spread (metastasized) may be treated conventionally with drugs to reduce testosterone levels, surgery to remove the testes, chemotherapy or nothing at all. Chemotherapy medications are often used to treat prostate cancers that are resistant to hormonal treatments. Surgery is usually only recommended after thorough evaluation and discussion of all available treatment options.

Side effects of chemotherapy drugs depend on which ones you%26#8217;re taking and how often and how long they%26#8217;re taken. Many men simply want the best treatment they can get but what%26#8217;s important is picking the best treatment for you. In patients whose health makes the risk of surgery unacceptably high, radiation therapy is often the chosen conventional alternative.

Treatment options can vary based on the stage of the tumor. Recent improvements in surgical procedures have made complications occur less often. Hormone manipulation is mainly used as a treatment to relieve symptoms in men whose cancer has spread.

Urinary incontinence can be a possible complication of surgery. Surgery, radiation therapy, and hormonal therapy can interfere with libido on a temporary or permanent basis.

As new research comes out adjust your treatment options accordingly. Just about all men with prostate cancer survive at least five years after their diagnosis, 93% survive at least 10 years, and 67% survive more than 15 years. The one thing that you should not do however is rely on any information obtained from the Internet to make your final decision.

Article Source: http://www.BestToRead.com/

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10 Important Steps To Beat Your Prostate Cancer by Michael Murphy - ArticleCity.com

October 29th, 2008 by admin

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the United States and it is the second most common cause of cancer death in men over age 55. The incidence of prostate cancer increases dramatically with each decade after 50. Fortunately, prostate cancer tends to be slow-growing compared to many other cancers – the majority of prostate cancers either do not spread or cause any significant harm for decades.

In general, men run a 1-in-6 chance of developing prostate cancer at some point in their lives. More than 230,000 new cases are expected this year in the United States, with about 27,000 deaths.

Most men will choose conventional treatment, often surgery or radiation, but there are life-changing potential side effects they need to be aware of, and discuss with their doctors.

Surgery, called a prostatectomy for the surgical removal of the prostate gland, means impotence for about 75% of the men choosing this path, according to a September 2004 study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Also, about 14% of the men were incontinent – could not control their bladder – five years after the operation.

With standard radiation therapy, the odds of impotence are about the same, 73%. The incontinence rate was much lower, just under 5%. There are new radiation therapies we discussed in the new guidebook How To Beat Your Prostate Cancer that have better outcomes.

No matter what conventional therapy a man chooses, if he does nothing else there is a 30% to 40% chance that his cancer or another cancer will recur. That’s because his immune system was not strong enough to protect him from the first cancer, and if he does nothing it will be no stronger the next time it is needed. In addition, radiation and chemotherapy depress the immune system, leaving it weaker than it was before you got treatment. Finally, any cancerous cells that survive the radiation and chemotherapy treatments, or escape the surgeon’s knife – and a few ALWAYS do – must be cleaned up by the immune system. Yet those cells that survived radiation or chemotherapy are, by definition, the strongest mutant cells. Cells that survive chemotherapy even have their own name: Multi-drug resistant. All of this means that if a man’s cancer recurs, the cure rates the second time around are much, much lower – on the order of 5% survival.

So even if a man chooses conventional treatment, the information and advice on alternative treatments in How To Beat Your Prostate Cancer is very important for his recovery and continued good health.

Here are 5 of the 10 important steps covered in a Free Report by the authors of How To Beat Your Prostate Cancer that have worked for others:

1. Pick a doctor carefully. The numbers above on impotence and incontinence are pretty scary. Top surgeons who perform hundreds of these operations tend to have better numbers, and you should ALWAYS get the statistics in advance from any doctor before you let them treat you. Remember that if you are talking to a surgeon, he probably will want to operate. If your doctor is a radiation oncologist, don’t be surprised if he pushes radiation. A clinical oncologist might counsel chemotherapy. Always consider the source. If you want to try alternative therapy first, since you really are not pressed for time, choose an alternative doctor or health care practitioner just as carefully.

2. Boost your immune system. If you’re going to undergo conventional treatment, you need to boost your immune system to deal with the impact of chemotherapy and radiation. You also need to clean up the remaining cells after therapy, and then build back your immune system so cancer does not recur. If you are going to pursue an alternative treatment path while you have the time, boosting your immune system is Job #1. Several chapters in How To Beat Your Prostate Cancer show you how to do that.

3. Alkalize your internal environment. Cancer cells are highly acidic, and cancer can’t live in an alkaline environment. You can test your pH level with test strips from the pharmacy or health food store. It should be over 7.0, preferably in the 7.2 to 7.4 range. If your internal body environment is acidic, it makes it much easier for cancer to grow and metastasize. Prostate cancer often metastasizes to the bones, making it much harder to beat.

4. Get more oxygen to your cells. Cancer hates oxygen. In the lab, when they are doing an experiment where they want cancerous cells to grow quickly, they simply turn down the oxygen. When they want to stabilize the experiment, they turn the oxygen back up. The same is true of your body.

5. Take vitamins and supplements. If you eat the Standard American Diet, you are eating fruits and vegetables grown on depleted soil, picked too early so they won’t ripen and spoil while they’re in the distribution chain, and then probably overcooked. Even if you are eating organic fruits and vegetables, grass-fed pastured meat and raw milk, you still can’t get the massive amounts of vitamins and supplements you need to let your immune system overcome a cancerous tumor that has become established. You must take high-quality vitamins and minerals, digestive enzymes and specific anti-cancer supplements like those recommended in Chapter 7 of How To Beat Your Prostate Cancer.

* * * * *

The complete Free Report with all 10 important steps a man can take to begin fighting his prostate cancer right away can be obtained from http://www.beat-prostate-cancer.net.

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Health, When Prostate Removal is Necessary

October 29th, 2008 by admin

Although prostate health is easy to maintain by a properly healthy lifestyle without stress and the proper foods, it’s still possible sometimes that prostate cancer is going to develop regardless. Genetics, uncontrolled elements of a person’s life and other existing health conditions can make prostate cancer develop. Because it’s very slow to grow, it can be a little difficult to actually detect problems with the prostate until the cancerous tissue has already become too advanced to stop with radiation treatment. There are several problems with prostate removal mainly, it cannot work unless the cancer is strictly confined to the prostate gland. Otherwise the surgery won’t catch the fringes of the cancer, leaving it free to spread through the rest of the body. The prostate is responsible for producing semen, so its removal causes impotence. Also, incontinence is another side effect, because the prostate gland can end up pressed against the urethra and urine can more easily flow. Prostate removal isn’t always guaranteed to work, because there may still be some fringes of cancerous tissue. Prostate removal is generally the best method to remove cancerous growth, provided radiation treatment was unable to treat it. Most of the time, radiation treatment is pursued first, then a prostatectomy. Prostatectomies are done by making an incision in wither the abdomen or the perineum, depending on existing health complications or conditions. The prostate gland can also be removed in order to prevent the enlarged tissue from blocking the urethra. The problems caused by a blocked urethra are many — problems urinating, blood in the urine from ruptured tissue, and blood in the stool from ruptured rectal tissue. Prostate Cancer Prevention Through Regular Checkups Prostate cancer is treatable through radiation treatment or through a prostatectomy, but the best method is through prevention. To prevent prostate cancer, its necessary to get checked usually every six months approximately. The prostate cancer can be scanned through ultrasound or through a PSA test, both of which have varying levels of effectiveness. If prostate cancer is detected, then the physician can make arrangements to help remove the cancerous tissue. This is done through either prostate removal or through radiation therapy. Also, ultrasound, cryosurgery or hormonal therapy are used to prevent or cure prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is easily preventable through careful watching and regularly taking care of their prostate health. A healthy diet, regular exercise and regular ejaculation are good deterrents of prostate cancer as well as semiannual checkups. http://cancer-of-prostate.blogspot.com

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Prostate Cancer - Causes, Symptoms, Treatment

October 28th, 2008 by admin

Prostate Cancer - Causes, Symptoms, Treatment

Prostate cancer occurs when cells in the prostate gland grow out of control. There are often no early prostate cancer symptoms, but some men have urinary symptoms and discomfort. Prostate cancer treatment options are surgery, chemotherapy, cryotherapy, hormonal therapy, and/or radiation. In some instances, doctors recommend “watchful waiting.”Adenocarcinoma of the prostate is the clinical term for a cancerous tumor on the prostate gland. As prostate cancer grows, it may spread to the interior of the gland, to tissues near the prostate, to sac-like structures attached to the prostate (seminal vesicles), and to distant parts of the body (e.g., bones, liver, lungs). Prostate cancer confined to the gland often is treated successfully.The prostate gland is an organ that is located at the base or outlet (neck) of the urinary bladder. (See the diagram.) The gland surrounds the first part of the urethra. The urethra is the passage through which urine drains from the bladder to exit from the penis. One function of the prostate gland is to help control urination by pressing directly against the part of the urethra that it surrounds. Another function of the prostate gland is to produce some of the substances that are found in normal semen, such as minerals and sugar.CausesCancer is a group of abnormal cells that grow more rapidly than normal cells and that refuse to die. Cancer cells also have the ability to invade and destroy normal tissues, either by growing directly into surrounding structures or after traveling to another part of your body through your bloodstream or lymph system (metastasize). Microscopic cancer cells develop into small clusters that continue to grow, becoming more densely packed and hard. The number of men being diagnosed with cancer of the prostate in the UK has been increasing in recent years. It is thought that this is due to more men having tests that detect very early prostate cancers that would previously not have been found. It may also be because the number of older men in the population is increasing.SymptomsMany men with prostate cancer experience no symptoms; the first indication that they may have the disease is often an abnormal finding on a routine screening exam. Others may notice one or more symptoms. Most prostate cancers are discovered incidentally when a digital rectal exam is performed. A digital rectal exam is part of a thorough regular health examination. Digital refers to finger.TreatmentTreatment for prostate cancer may involve watchful waiting, surgery, radiation therapy including 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.

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Testing For The Presence Of Prostate Cancer

October 28th, 2008 by admin

Testing For The Presence Of Prostate Cancer

About one in every six men will develop prostate cancer which, apart from skin cancer, is the number one cause of cancer deaths in men. For this reason it is vitally important for men to monitor the health of their prostate with regular testing. Some of the prostate health tests available today include:The Digital Rectal Exam (DRE). The digital rectal exam has been the benchmark of testing for both benign prostate enlargement and prostate cancer for many years and is a simple examination in which your physician can feel the prostate gland with a gloved finger to assess its size and condition.The Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) Test. The PSA blood test was approved for use by the FDA in the mid 1980s and is now widely in use. This test looks for the presence of a prostate specific protein in the blood and it is recommended that all men over the age of 50, together with ‘at risk’ men over the age of 40, have an annual PSA test.Urine Testing. Urine testing can not only check for diabetes and liver and kidney disease but can also check the condition of the prostate by looking for signs of infection in the blood.Hyperplasia Intrvenouspyelogram (IVP). This test is a form of x-ray examination in which a dye is injected into the bloodstream and monitored as it passes through the body’s vital organs. As far as the prostate is concerned this test follows the flow through the kidneys, bladder and ureter tubes which drain the kidneys and thus looks for any possible restriction caused by an enlargement of the prostrate gland interfering with the flow or urine out of the bladder.Bladder Ultrasound. This simple non-invasive procedure which can be carried out in the doctor’s office can detect whether or not the bladder is emptying fully following urination and thus whether or not an enlarged prostate is narrowing the urethra.Prostate Ultrasound. A prostate ultrasound is useful for estimating the size of the prostate gland and is also important if further testing using a biopsy is recommended.Uroflow. A uroflow is another very simple test in which the patient urinates into a container and the strength of the flow of urine is measured.Cystoscopy. A cystoscopy allows the doctor to make a visual examination of the urethra and the bladder using an instrument which is inserted through the urethra.In general your doctor will normally recommend PSA screening and will also usually carry out a digital rectal examination as these two tests together are without doubt the best way to detect the presence of possible prostate cancer or of other developing prostate problems. One or more or the other tests mentioned here (or indeed several which we have not listed) may also be ordered but, at the end of the day, the only sure way to confirm the presence of prostate cancer is by carrying out a biopsy.A prostate cancer biopsy take a number of very small tissue samples from different areas of the prostate for microscopic examination and can not only definitively confirm the presence of prostate cancer, but can also give an indication of the size and type of any cancer.

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Prostate cancer Learn More About Symptoms and Treatments!

October 28th, 2008 by admin

Prostate cancer Learn More About Symptoms and Treatments!
by Bertil Hjert

Cancer can occur in almost all parts of the body. It can occur in the lungs, rectum, prostate, and intestine.

Prostate cancer can develop as a malignant tumor at first in the prostate gland. There is a high possibility of prostate cancer spreading from the prostate towards the lymph nodes and then to the other organs. It can even spread to bones via the process of metastasis.

This type of cancer is rated as the second most common type of cancer that occurs in men. This is a fatal disease. However, the advancement in the medicine field has improved the survival rates among patients considerably.

The exact cause of prostate cancer has not been found out. However, there are certain risk factors that can actually promote prostate cancer in the body.

It has also been proved that aging process tends to increase the risk of prostate cancer development in the body considerably. According to some of the statistics, it has been observed that Afro-American men are more vulnerable to developing prostate cancer as compared to Caucasian men. Obese men are also at higher risk of developing this disease.

There are no specific symptoms known for prostate cancer. However, when it starts developing gradually inside the body; men experience from pain in the upper thighs, lower back and pelvis. Other significant symptoms of prostate cancer in its developing stage include the following:

a) Increase in frequency of urinating

b) Interrupted flow of urine

c) Difficulty in stopping urine

d) Difficulty in starting urine

e) Presence of blood in the urine

f) Presence of pain when urinating

g) Burning sensation when urinating

Men who have attained an age of 50 must take a prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood test almost every year. This must be accompanied by a Digital Recta Exam (DRE) to analyze or diagnose the presence of prostate cancer in the body.

The physician, in a DRE, checks for an enlarged prostate, lumps or any of the abnormal texture via inserting a lubricated and gloved finger inside the rectum.

The prostate cells tend to produce PSA: During the PSA test, the level of prostate cells in the blood stream is determined. Men with PSA levels that are higher than 4ng/mL are more vulnerable to develop prostate cancer.

At times men with lower PSA levels also tend to develop prostate cancer. The whole thing depends on the normal PSA level of an individual. In case, it was on the higher side, there is nothing to worry.

Hence, it is very necessary to keep tabs on PSA levels on a regular basis. It is also important to diagnose prostate cancer via biopsies and transrectal ultrasound. Biopsy can diagnose prostate cancer accurately.

Here are some of the treatments widely prescribed by the doctor for prostate cancer.

a) Chemotherapy

b) Hormonal therapy

c) Watchful waiting

d) Surgery

e) Radiation

Remember that early diagnose is the best way to treat prostate cancer effectively.

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Get The Facts About Prostate Cancer

October 28th, 2008 by admin

Detected in its early stages, prostate cancer can be effectively treated and cured. In most men, prostate cancer grows very slowly; most men will never know they have the condition.

Detected in its early stages, prostate cancer can be effectively treated and cured. In most men, prostate cancer grows very slowly; most men will never know they have the condition. Prostate cancer is a malignant tumor of the prostate gland.

The main job of the prostate gland is to make seminal fluid, the milky substance that transports sperm. It%26#8217;s estimated that approximately 234,460 men in the U.S. will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year, and approximately 27,350 will die of the disease. If you have prostate cancer, are concerned about getting it, or if you%26#8217;re looking out for the health of someone you love, this article can help.

One symptom is difficulty starting urination or holding back urine. One symptom is a need to urinate frequently, especially at night. Blood in the urine or semen and frequent pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips, or upper thighs are often symptoms of cancer.

Most symptoms, although associated with prostate cancer, are more likely to be connected to non-cancerous conditions. Because symptoms can mimic other diseases or disorders, men who experience any of these symptoms should undergo a thorough work-up to determine the underlying cause of the symptoms. Having one or more cancer symptoms does not necessarily mean that you have prostate cancer.

One downside to PSA testing is that health care providers are detecting and treating some very early-stage prostate cancers that may never have caused the patient any harm. A number of tests may be done to confirm a diagnosis. A PSA test with a high level can also be from a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland.

A urinalysis may indicate if there is blood in the urine. Another test usually used when prostate cancer symptoms are present is the digital rectal exam (DRE) performed by the doctor. A chest x-ray may be done to see if there%26#8217;s a spread of cancer.

The conventional treatment of prostate cancer is often controversial. Surgery, radiation therapy, and hormonal therapy can i

nterfere with libido on a temporary or permanent basis. Medications can have many side effects, including hot flashes and loss of sexual desire.

Be aware that some men choose natural treatment options and forgo any surgery, radiation or chemotherapy. Anyone considering surgery should be aware of the benefits, risks and the extent of the procedure. In patients whose health makes the risk of surgery unacceptably high, radiation therapy is often the chosen conventional alternative.

Surgery, called a radical prostatectomy, removes the entire prostate gland and some of the surrounding tissues. Surgery is usually only recommended after thorough evaluation and discussion of all available treatment options. Other medications used for hormonal therapy, with side effects, include androgen-blocking agents, which prevent testosterone from attaching to prostate cells.

Chemotherapy medications are often used to treat prostate cancers that are resistant to hormonal treatments. Whether radiation is as good as removing the prostate is debatable and the decision about which to choose, if any, can be difficult. Treatment options can vary based on the stage of the tumor.

If chemotherapy is decided upon after the first round of chemotherapy, most men receive further doses on an outpatient basis at a clinic or physician%26#8217;s office. Besides hormonal drugs, hormone manipulation may also be done by surgically removing the testes.

If you haven%26#8217;t been diagnosed but are concerned about symptoms you should call for an appointment to see your doctor; and if you%26#8217;re a man older than 50 who has never been screened for prostate cancer (by rectal exam and/or PSA level determination) or not had a regular annual exam, or have had a family history of prostate cancer, make an appointment soon. It%26#8217;s important to get as informed as possible and read all the newest books, ebooks and research available. Consider sites, such as this one, just a starting point where you can begin to learn about prostate cancer.

Article Source: http://www.BestToRead.com/

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What is Prostate Cancer?

October 28th, 2008 by admin

In the U.S. approximately 320,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer. Approximately 1 out of 10 men will develop prostate cancer in his life. One of the misconceptions about prostate cancer is that it’s an old man’s disease.

Prostate Cancer ForwardIn the U.S. approximately 320,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer. Approximately 1 out of 10 men will develop prostate cancer in his life. One of the misconceptions about prostate cancer is that it’s an “old man’s disease.” The truth is that prostate cancer runs prevalent in men in their forties and fifties. Prostate cancer can also be present for years without causing any symptoms and is often not detected until it is in an advanced stage. It can grow within the prostate at different locations, sometimes escaping collected tissue samples. Worse yet, if the cancer cells leave the prostate they can spread and infect other organ tissues in the body which is not detectable without surgery, and at that time it is usually spread too far to cure.The treatments itself has its own psychological and physical implications and may be damaging to the reproductive and urinary organs leading to impotence or loss of bladder control. Some treatments involve removing the prostate gland and/or testicles causing an imbalance in the hormone level and can lead to a loss of interest in sex and a sense of self.What is the Prostate?The prostate is a sex gland in men that is located in the abdomen below the bladder at the base of the penis in front of the rectum. It is normally about the size of a golf ball and wraps completely around the urethra, or the tube that runs from the bladder through the penis. What it does is manufacture prostatic fluid, an alkaline fluid which regulates the acidity of semen and protects it from the acids in the reproductive tract of the female. It also acts as a pump during the male orgasm forcing semen in the urethra and doubles as a valve directing both urine and sperm. Not vital organ to live but quite a vital organ for “normal” life.So what is Cancer?Cancer is a term that doesn’t describe a single disease but a group of disea

ses. These diseases do share one common trait though of uncontrolled cell growth and division. Cell growth and division are controlled by the DNA in each cell. Just about every cell in you body is in a continuous life and death cycle with new cells replacing the old (only exceptions is within the heart and brain) in a process called cellular replication. Normally, the cells in an adult generate just enough new cells to replace the old cells. Basically when a cell that behaves abnormally and “cancerous” it doesn’t stop replicating itself, causing abnormal growth and tumors. Cancerous cells stop performing their original specialized functions and become parasites in the body, consuming energy normally reserved for the normal cells. Cancer spreads when these cancer cells break away from the tumor and enter the bloodstream or lymphatic system. These cells can lodge themselves in another part of the body and continue to replicate causing new tumor growth. Cancer is defined by the place of origination, so if it originates in the prostate, it is called prostate cancer. If it spreads to other areas it is called metastatic prostate cancer.Prostate CancerOddly though, prostate cancer is the one of the “better” cancers to get. Cancers grow at different speeds and the time it takes for to double, or for the cells to increase by 100 percent. Prostate cancer is slow growing, taking years to replicate and double enough to cause symptoms. If it detected early enough it is treatable and there is an excellent chance it can be cured. Treatment techniques are also continually being refined to have less side effects and even if it has spread beyond curing, there are current therapies and drugs to extend life beyond five plus years.For further information please visit the prostate cancer resource center.

Article Source: http://www.BestToRead.com/

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What Does Radiation Therapy For Localized Prostate Cancer Involve?

October 28th, 2008 by admin

What Does Radiation Therapy For Localized Prostate Cancer Involve?

One common form of treatment today for localized prostate cancer is radiation therapy which uses high energy x-rays to kill cancer cells. These x-rays can either be delivered using an external radiation beam or by implanting radiation ’seeds’ into the prostate gland.External beam radiation therapy treatments are normally given on a daily basis 5 days a week (Monday to Friday) for anything up to about 6 or 7 weeks and each treatment, which is painless, lasts for just a few minutes. (Such treatments are also commonly given to patients whose cancer is no longer localized to the prostate gland but has spread into the pelvis and can also be used to relieve pain and reduce tumors in cases of advanced prostate cancer.)In cases where tumors are large it is also common to give hormone treatment alongside radiation therapy in order to block the action of the male hormones which feed the growth of prostate cancer tumors. Such hormonal treatments are often continued for many months, or even years.External beam radiation targets not only the prostate gland but also the seminal vesicles, to which prostate cancer can readily spread. In previous forms of this treatment it was also common to irradiate the pelvic lymph nodes but today this is only done in a minority of cases where evidence suggests that this is necessary.There are generally few immediate side-effects to external beam radiation other than fatigue and possibly diarrhea when radiation is applied to the rectum, but both of these soon pass once treatment is completed.Longer-term affects include impotence which affects about 40% to 50% of patients. This figure is however declining with the introduction of computer technology which now allows treatment to be tailored precisely to the anatomy of the patient with far more precise targeting than has previously been possible.Turning to internal radiation therapy, this is a procedure in which dozens of tiny seeds are implanted directly into the prostate gland to deliver a high dose of radiation directly into the affected tissue.Ultrasound is used to guide very thin needles from the perineum into the prostate gland to deposit the tiny seeds of palladium and iodine in a pattern which has previously been mapped using a very sophisticated computer program. The procedure, which usually takes about an hour, is carried out under local anesthetic and the patient is normally allowed home the same day. One alternative approach is to use more powerful temporary seed implants which are introduced over several days and possibly to combine this with low dose external radiation therapy. This procedure does however require hospitalization.Internal radiation therapy carries few side-effects and normally leads to impotence in less that 15% of patients under the age of 70. It is not however suitable for everybody, especially men with large tumors or those who have undergone a transurethral resection of the prostate for benign prostatic hyperplasia.

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Bladder Inflammation Information and Prevention

October 27th, 2008 by admin

Bladder Inflammation Information and Prevention

Bladder inflammation, too known as bladder transmission or cystitis and urinary parcel transmission (UTI. 85% UTIs are caused by the bacterium Escherichia coli, or E. coli. It is a bacterial transmission that affects any region of the urine parcel. Cystitis is popular in women, especially during the reproductive years. Dribbling urination is popular and emptying the bladder will not ever alleviate the impulse. The onslaught of the transmission can be sluggish or abrupt, and cramping pains escalate the agony. The transmission can too be balmy, with symptoms of bladder discomfort while urinating without the accompanying pain. There are several ways bacteria can get into the urethra. During cozy intercourse, the bacteria in the vaginal area can be pushed into the urethra, which causes soreness in the bladder. Men can have nearly identical symptoms to those of interstitial cystitis, but they’re more often associated with an inflammation of the prostate gland. Bladder inflammationis normally treated with antibiotics. The antibiotic can be taken regular, 3 times a week, or instantly after intimate copulation. Oral medications that may better the signs and symptoms of interstitial cystitis include ibuprofen. Other nonsteroidal pain medications to relieve discomfort. Tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline or imipramine (Tofranil), may assist loosen your bladder and block pain. Antihistamines may offer symptom alleviation for some folk. Drinking lot of fluids may assist to forbid cystitis. Transcutaneous electric heart stimulus (TENS) uses balmy electric pulses to alleviate pelvic pain. Surgery may be needed to alleviate any physiological interference to the flowing of urine or to rectify a structural irregularity that makes transmission more possible, such as a sagging womb or bladder. Vitamin C may also be recommended for you to take.Bladder Inflammation Treatment and Prevention Tips 1. Surgery may be necessary to relieve physical obstruction. 2. Bladder infections are helped with large doses of vitamin C. 3. Vitamin E improves oxygen supply to the cells.4. Zinc should be added for a stronger immune system.5. Acidophilus cultures help prevent bladder infections related to candida 6. Tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline or imipramine may help relax your bladder.

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