Professional Hospital Furnishers
Thank you for Visiting Us at MEDICA 2003 - Download catalogues in PDF format - Order now & avail 10 / 20% discount - Liposuction Canulas for Cosmetic Surgery now in production


  PRODUCT CATALOGUE
  find the required instrument...

 

type in the name of instrument & click GO 
  optional search by...

alphabet.gif

  Order Catalogues
  Free Downloads
   MEMBERS
























   Contact Us
   Product Range
   Accreditations
   Production Operations
   Future Plans
   Testimonials...




Articles back

Progress On Prostate Cancer

Advances in early detection and effective treatment are saving lives.
The past decade has seen a dramatic increase in the incidence of prostate cancer, followed by an equally impressive decline. Yet even as the incidence rose, fatalities dropped. What's going on? Two things: improved diagnosis and improved treatment. And there may be a third factor as well � if it's true that men are increasingly being prodded to take action by the women who love them.

So far, little can be done to prevent prostate cancer, though researchers are studying dietary factors that may influence the risk (see The Dietary-Prostate Connection ). But there's a lot that can be done to prevent fatal prostate cancer. It all hinges on early detection.

Diagnostic Techniques

At its earliest, most curable stage, prostate cancer produces no symptoms. That's why men should be routinely screened with a digital rectal exam (DRE) and a blood test for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. The American Cancer Society recommends annual screening for all men starting at age 50. Men at higher risk of prostate cancer � those with a family history of the disease as well as African-American men � should begin testing at age 40. A positive result from a DRE or a PSA test warrants follow-up diagnostic tests, as necessary.

Digital Rectal Exam. In a time of high-tech diagnostic wonders, the digital rectal exam is an old-fashioned, hands-on test � literally. The physician inserts a gloved and lubricated finger into the rectum to feel for abnormalities in the prostate gland, which sits under the bladder (where it helps produce seminal fluid). Uncomfortable but mercifully brief, the DRE can detect prostate nodules that might be cancerous. If the exam reveals nothing, it's still possible that a growth may be located on a part of the prostate that the doctor can't reach. This is why a PSA test is done in addition.

PSA Blood Test. High levels of the enzyme known as prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, indicate some kind of prostate trouble, although not necessarily cancer. It's called "prostate specific" and not "cancer specific" for good reason: An elevated PSA level can also signal a simple infection or benign enlarged prostate. Conversely, it's possible to have a low PSA level and still have cancer.

In general, a man in his 40s should have a PSA level below 2.5 (nanograms per milliliter), a man in his 50s should be under 3.5, and an older man, under 4.0. For men with low PSA levels, the rate of increase in PSA should also be followed. A consistent increase of more than 1.5 over two years signals possible trouble. Again, that doesn't necessarily mean the patient has prostate cancer. As with mammography, a positive test result needs confirmation.

Tran rectal Ultrasound. This is the same technology that produces images of babies in the womb. While ultrasound can't distinguish healthy cells from cancer cells, it can help direct a needle biopsy.

Biopsy. During a biopsy, a special needle is used to remove sample prostate cells for study. Unlike cancers that typically form distinct, solid tumors, prostate cancer often produces tumor cells interspersed among healthy cells. So if the biopsy needle goes in a little too deep (or not quite deep enough), it can miss cancerous cells at a higher (or lower) level.

For that reason, if other test results strongly suggest prostate cancer, a biopsy that comes up negative may need to be repeated. If the biopsy confirms a diagnosis of prostate cancer, tests such as a bone scan, CT scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be needed to help decide on the best treatment.

Treatment Options

Prostate cancer is most easily � and successfully � treated when it's still "localized," meaning it has not yet spread outside the gland. Since many prostate tumors grow slowly, the best treatment is sometimes no treatment at all. In fact, many men die with the disease rather than of it. For younger men and men with fast-growing tumors, today's treatment options can extend lives. Improvements in technology and techniques have greatly reduced the risk of side effects.

Here are the three main strategies for dealing with prostate cancer:
Watchful Waiting. In the case of an older man (with a life expectancy of less than 10 years) who has a slow-growing tumor, it often makes the most sense to postpone cancer treatment and take a wait-and-see approach, while monitoring the condition closely. If the tumor continues to grow slowly, treatment � and its possible side effects � can often be avoided altogether. If tumor growth accelerates, however, radiation or hormone therapy can then be considered.

Radical Prostatectomy. Complete surgical removal of the prostate gland is the best way to eradicate a localized tumor. This option is usually recommended for younger, healthy men. A prime candidate would be a man in his 50s, who might otherwise be expected to live another 20 years or more. In the hands of an experienced surgeon, the risk of serious side effects � namely, incontinence and impotence � is relatively low. Of course, the skill of the surgeon isn't the only factor to influence the likelihood of side effects; age and overall health have a great impact as well.

Radiation Therapy. Less invasive than surgery, radiation is often the best option for older men, especially those in poorer health. But it doesn't always kill all the cancer, even when the disease is still localized. And while incontinence isn't an issue, radiation may cause impotence and damage the rectum.

back

 

home.gif help.gif email.gif

 subscribe to newsletter
 

go.gif 

Download Now



bnr_right02.gif

bnr_right03.gif
 


DESIGNED & POWERED BY
SOLINCS

copyright 2002 - professional hospital furnishers