Prostate Cancer

Lesson 2: Prostate Cancer

Prostate Cancer Etiology

The exact cause of Prostate Cancer is unknown. What is known, however, is that Prostate Cancer, like other cancers, is an uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells, and that the growth of Prostate Cancer is related to the male hormones, called androgens, the most prevalent being testosterone. These abnormal cells can form a malignant (cancerous) tumor. In some cases, the cancer can spread (metastasize) to other organs of the body. This occurs when cancer cells break away from a cancerous tumor and move through the blood and lymph nodes to other areas of the body.

While the exact reasons why one man gets Prostate Cancer and another man does not are unknown. There are risk factors that have been associated with the incidence of Prostate Cancer in certain populations:

• The incidence of Prostate Cancer increases with age more rapidly than any other cancer. More than 75% of all cases of Prostate Cancer are in men over 65 years of age. The average age of men newly diagnosed with Prostate Cancer is 70.

• The risk of Prostate Cancer is twice as high for men of African descent as it is for Caucasian men.

• Family history: a man is more likely to develop Prostate Cancer if he has first-generation relatives (such as father or brother) who have been diagnosed with Prostate Cancer.

Early Prostate Cancer is often asymptomatic. That is, there are no symptoms caused by the cancer. However, more advanced Prostate Cancer can cause symptoms including urination problems: a more frequent need to urinate, especially at night; difficulty starting or stopping urination, blood in urine or ejaculate, and painful urination or ejaculation. It’s important to note that these symptoms are not limited to Prostate Cancer, and may be indicative of another, non-cancerous, condition, such as an infection. If you experience any of the above symptoms, call your doctor.

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