Choice Healthcare Services
Prostate Cancer
The PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) blood test carried out by Choice Healthcare is key to early diagnosis of prostate cancer, giving up to ten years warning before the disease becomes life threatening. The test can provide a result within minutes of the initial sample being taken.
The cause of prostate cancer is unknown, but it seems to be linked with increasing age - perhaps because the gland enlarges as the year's progress. Hereditary factors may play a part, although less than 5 per cent of men with prostate cancer have a family history of the disease. Some research suggests prostate cancer is linked to diet - eating green vegetables seems to protect against it, while a diet high in animal (saturated) fats and red meat seems to increase the risk.
There are few symptoms of early prostate cancer as 90 per cent of tumours arise on the outside of the gland and do not interfere with urinary flow. If obstructive symptoms do occur, they are similar to those of BPH.
In later stages of the disease, non-specific symptoms may occur such as:
- Tiredness
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Frequent pain in the lower back, upper thighs or pelvic area
- Bone pain
- Anaemia
- Blood in the urine or sperm
- Swollen glands
Treatment depends on how advanced the cancer is and whether or not it has spread beyond the prostate gland. If the tumour is slow growing, non-aggressive and confined to a small area of the gland there may be no need for immediate treatment. Sometimes the whole gland may be removed however, in the hope of curing the disease.
The growth of more advanced prostate cancers may be slowed by radiotherapy, by taking away its hormone stimulation. This may involve drugs that inactivate the testicles or their surgical removal. If the testicles are removed, they can be replaced with egg-shaped implants for an excellent cosmetic result.
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