Prostate cancer is a malignant tumor that originates in the prostate gland and can eventually spread to other organs, bones, and tissues. The prostate is a cluster of small glands located beneath the bladder that surrounds the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder out through the penis.
Its principle function is to manufacture fluid that constitutes a portion of the semen. 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 The incidence of prostate cancer increases dramatically with each decade after 50, and disease rates appear to vary by population.
For example, North Americans particularly African Americans develop prostate cancer at one of the highest rates in the world, while Japan and Africa have low rates of the disease. Fortunately, prostate cancer tends to be slow-growing compared to many other cancers—the majority of prostate cancers either do not spread or cause harm for decades.
Signs and Symptoms Many people with prostate cancer experience no symptoms at all. Some symptoms that may indicate prostate cancer include: Difficult and painful urination Frequent urination and a feeling that one has to urinate even when the bladder is empty Incomplete emptying of the bladder, which may lead to dribbling of urine Awakening frequently in the night to urinate Decreased force of urine stream Blood in the urine Hip and back pain When the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, symptoms can include: Bone pain Weakness or paralysis caused by compression of the spinal cord Weight loss Anemia Kidney failure Causes The causes of prostate cancer are unknown, but are thought to include environmental, nutritional, hormonal, and genetic factors.
Reports also indicate that farmers as well as men who work in tire, rubber, and sheet metal factories tend to have high rates of prostate cancer or more aggressive forms of the cancer. Some researchers speculate that environmental exposure to cadmium present in commercial fungicides and other harmful substances may be responsible for the high rates of prostate cancer in these men.
