Healthcare

Prostate cancer usually grow very slowly, and individuals may not display symptoms for some time.
If the prostate is enlarged, preliminary diagnosis can be made by rectal examination or transrectal ultrasound (TRUS).

A blood test for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is used to detect prostate tumors in their earliest stages. If any of these tests suggest cancer, a biopsy is done to confirm the diagnosis.

Risk factors for prostate cancer such as age, race, or family history cannot be avoided. However, studies have suggested that a diet low in fats and high in fruits and vegetables decreases prostate cancer risk. Compounds called lycopenes, which are present in grapefruit, tomatoes, and watermelon, have been linked to reduced risk, including the nutrient selenium, which is found in nuts, oranges, and wheat germ.

The prostate cancer might treatable when caught early and prevent to spread to other organs.

There is controversy related to routine screening of prostate cancer.
Some medical societies recommend an annual PSA test and digital rectal examination at age 50 for most men and at age 45 for men at higher risk.

However, some physicians disagree on the usefulness of routine screening for prostate cancer. Most medical societies and government agencies feel that screening has not proved to reduce prostate cancer mortality and therefore do not recommend.

Despite that controversy, early detection of prostate cancer is useful to treat it early and prevent spreads to other organs.

Meanwhile, the PSA velocity or change the level of PSA might resulting not good for prostate cancer prediction.

According to a new analysis, there is no evidence to support prostate biopsy in men with PSA velocity or with high PSA, even with absence of other indications of positive digital rectal exam.

Reported in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute on February 24, 2011, the study authors, Andrew Vickers, PhD, from the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, and colleagues said that “if the patient doesn’t have a high PSA to begin with and has a normal clinical exam, there is no reason to do a biopsy, even if the PSA is increasing.”

However, there is no standardized method of PSA velocity measurements, and therefore “new ways of calculating it are continually being invented”, said Dr. Vickers.

According to the study authors, a sudden rise in PSA is also not usually indicative of cancer.
Dr. Vickers said, “It may be the result of an infection or other benign disease. It doesn’t necessarily warrant a biopsy.”