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Prostate Problem Guide
Prostate Problems And Their Solutions
Millions of men around the world suffer from one form of prostate problem or another and such prostate problems often begin to develop in middle age. In many cases these problems are not serious and the symptoms are relatively mild but, unfortunately, for all too many men their prostate problems will be serious and will need to be treated.
The commonest cancer in the United States today is skin cancer but, to the surprise of many people, prostate cancer runs it a close second. So just what is prostate cancer and is there a prostate cancer cure available?
The human body begins its life as a single cell which then divides repeatedly to form new cells. As cell division continues so the newly created cells, acting as the building blocks of the human body, form into walls of tissue and create the component parts that we recognize as the human body. But this is not the end of the process as, throughout life, our bodies change constantly as old cells wear out and die and other newer cells continue the process of division to replace them.
From time to time however this process of division does not follow the pattern that it should and cells that should die do not and other cells divide incorrectly so that the two cells formed do not carry the correct information for the new cells to function correctly. At the same time this often sets off a chain reaction so that these cells in turn start to divide forming further faulty cells.
In some cases the mass of cells produced, known as a tumor, is quite harmless (benign) while in other cases the cells can be dangerous (malignant) or even life threatening.
This, in simple terms, is the basis of all cancers and, where faulty cell division takes place in the prostate, then the result is prostate cancer.
However, prostate cancer is not always limited to the prostate. Occasionally, faulty cells in the prostate will break away and then be carried through the bloodstream to other areas of the body where they will eventually lodge themselves and continue the process of division and invasion of the new surrounding tissue. Although this cancer is not now restricted to the prostrate it is nonetheless referred to as prostate cancer as this was its point of origin.
Throughout this website we look in detail at just what the prostate gland is, how it works and problems that can arise with it so, for information on specific prostate problems or areas of interest, please choose the relevant topic from the menu on the right-hand side of this page.
Advanced Prostate Cancer - Options For Treatment - This article looks at the different stages through which prostate cancer will pass and outlines the treatment options for patients with late stage or advanced prostate cancer.
Enlarged Prostate - A Normal Part Of The Aging Process - This article explains the simple truth behind the enlarged prostate.
Is There A Prostate Cancer Cure? - Prostate cancer claims the lives of more men today than any other form of cancer and yet a prostate cancer cure is there for the taking.
Many Asian Men Show A Better Ability To Survive Prostate Cancer Than White Men - We have known for some time that there are differences in prostate cancer survival rates across ethnic groups and a recent study has now given us some supporting figures.
Prostate Problem Symptoms - The Signs To Look For - There are a number of prostate problem symptoms which the vast majority of men will begin to experience once they have passed the age of 40 and, sadly, the majority of these will be ignored until the problem has advanced to a stage at which treatment may be difficult.
The Prostate Gland - What Is It And What Does It Do? - Prostate problems affect the vast majority of men in retirement and prostate cancer kills over 30,000 men every year in the Unites States alone. This article looks at just what the prostate gland is and what it does.
AAWR: anti-androgen withdrawal response; a decrease in PSA seen upon stopping treatment with an anti-androgen such as Flutamide or Casodex®; this occurs because the anti-androgen has induced a mutation in the androgen receptor (AR) which is allowing the anti-androgen to stimulate rather than inhibit prostate cancer growth.
ESTRAMUSTINE PHOSPHATE (EMCYT): a chemotherapeutic agent; a hybrid drug combination of nitrogen mustard and estrogen that disrupts cytoplasmic microtubules.
NIH: National Institutes of Health.
SALVAGE: a procedure intended to 'rescue' a patient following the failure of a prior treatment; for example, a salvage prostatectomy would be the surgical removal of the prostate after the failure of prior radiation therapy or cryosurgery.
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