Early detection of prostate cancer is crucial, as this disease can be so indolent (slow-growing) that patients don't realize they have it until it causes significant problems. The good news is that if caught early, usually with blood, physical, and imaging tests, it's highly treatable.
Indeed, according to the American Cancer Society, the 5-year relative survival rate of men with prostate cancer is over 99% for localized and regional stages. The rate significantly drops to 38% for the distant stage, the type that often occurs due to delays in undergoing screening and getting a professional diagnosis and treatment plan.
By familiarizing yourself with the importance of early prostate cancer detection and the methods involved, you can make more proactive decisions to safeguard your reproductive and urinary health and reduce your risk of fatal illnesses.
What Are the Red Flags of Prostate Cancer?
Prostate cancer occurs when malignant (cancerous) cells start to grow rapidly in the prostate gland, as explained by the RCCA's expert oncology team.
The tumor, however, grows very slowly in the gland's outer part, causing little to no early or initial prostate cancer symptoms. It also grows away from the urethra, the thin tube connecting the urinary bladder to the outside of the body that allows the excretion of urine.
Initially, the indolent tumor doesn't press on the tube. Once it's grown big enough, though, it can start to affect urine flow and cause symptoms like:
- Frequent or urgent need to urinate
- Hesitant urination (struggle or delay in initiating or maintaining a steady urine stream)
- Weak, interrupted urine flow
- An unpleasant feeling that urine remains in the bladder or that it hasn't emptied completely
- Bloody urine or semen
- Pain (discomfort while sitting; pain affecting the hips, pelvis, or lower back; a burning sensation while ejaculating or urinating)
- Sexual dysfunction
Men in their 50s should pay more attention to these "red flags," as their risk of developing prostate cancer spikes sharply by the time they hit this age.
What Is the Life Expectancy of a Man With Prostate Cancer?
The term "relative survival rate" refers to the percentage of individuals who survive a certain type of disease (e.g., prostate cancer) over a specific time. A 5-year survival rate, therefore, pertains to the percentage of individuals who live for at least five years following their diagnosis.
As mentioned above, the 5-year relative survival rate of men diagnosed with localized and regional prostate cancer is over 99%. It means more than 99 out of 100 men with early-stage prostate cancer live for at least five years after diagnosis.
As for men with distant (metastatic) prostate cancer, the 38% survival rate means 38 in 100 survive for five years.
The 10-year survival rates are quite similar. According to the National Cancer Institute, this rate for localized prostate cancer ranges from 98.8% to 99.6%. The variations are due to specific treatments used (e.g., 99.6% for radiation therapy).
How Does Early Detection Work for Prostate Cancer?
Early detection aims to find the disease in its earliest stages, when it remains localized (contained within the prostate gland). The earlier doctors find it, the sooner they can administer treatment for prostate cancer, increasing the patient's likelihood of full recovery.
Medical and health professionals use several diagnostic techniques and tools to catch and identify prostate cancer:
Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) Blood Tests
PSA is a type of protein produced naturally by the prostate gland. Its overexpression (or presence at very high levels) may signal cancer.
PSA blood tests measure how much PSA there is in a patient's system.
Digital Rectal Exams
DREs are quick, routine procedures, usually painless, in which a healthcare professional uses a lubricated, gloved finger to check a male patient's:
- Lower rectum
- Pelvis
- Prostate gland
Healthcare professionals conduct this test to find physical manifestations of enlargement, nodules, or tumors.
Imaging Tests
If healthcare professionals find any concerning results following PSA blood tests and DREs, they usually order patients to undergo a prostate MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). The MRI allows them to visualize the prostate and identify suspicious formations or lesions for targeting.
Patients may also need to undergo other imaging tests later on, such as CT (computed tomography) and bone scans. The results of these diagnostic exams can determine whether the cancer has spread outside the prostate.
Biopsies
Doctors confirm the malignancy of prostate tumors using biopsies. They're medical procedures that involve removing a small sample of tissue from the prostate gland and then testing it to verify if it's cancerous.
How Is Prostate Cancer Treated?
Catching prostate cancer really early may only require watchful waiting as the initial treatment. If medical procedures are necessary, surgery and radiation therapy are typically the first options. Doctors often reserve chemotherapy for more advanced or metastatic cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Watchful Waiting In Prostate Cancer Treatment?
Some cases of prostate cancer, particularly those in their earliest stages, don't require immediate treatment because they're tiny, not causing any problems, and grow ever so slowly. They don't appear to have an immediate risk of getting out of the prostate.
Such cases are what healthcare providers consider "low-risk." In this scenario, patients and their healthcare providers may decide on "watchful waiting" or "active surveillance." It involves monitoring early-stage, low-risk tumors, acting as a metastatic prostate cancer prevention strategy.
With watchful waiting, a patient will go for regular check-ups that will help them and their doctors track the tumors instead of getting immediate treatment. Doing so can help them avoid experiencing adverse side effects of prostate cancer treatment.
What Are Medical Procedures for Prostate Cancer?
If prostate cancer needs prompt treatment, doctors may likely order a prostatectomy, a surgery that removes the prostate. Surgeons usually perform this via a robot-assisted laparoscopic procedure or open surgery.
If surgery isn't an option, radiation therapy may be necessary. It uses high-energy beams that target cancer cells. Doctors may also use it to kill remaining malignant cells after surgery.
Don't Let Prostate Cancer Get the Better of You
Prostate cancer is highly treatable, with high survival rates, particularly if found early. Early detection, such as with blood tests and DREs, should therefore be a top priority for men at high risk for this disease.
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