How common is prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer is very common and also very treatable in the early stages

Prostate cancer is the leading cancer among men in the USA and the second most common malignancy in males worldwide after lung cancer.

With over 700,000 new cases of prostate cancer diagnosed in the world every year, prostate cancer is the most common form of non-skin cancer.

It is estimated that 38.7 million men in North America, Europe and Japan have prostate cancer.

About 240,000 new cases of cancer of the prostate are diagnosed each year in the U.S.A. An additional 25,000 cases are diagnosed in Canada every year.

Prostate cancer is rare in men under 50, but becomes more common with advanced age.  There is an increased risk for developing prostate cancer if a father or brother has the disease.  Men living in western countries and men of African-American or Afro-Caribbean descent have an increased chance of developing prostate cancer.

Prostate Cancer Stages

The only way to confirm the diagnosis of prostate cancer is to perform a biopsy. Once a definite diagnosis of cancer has been made the next step is to know what the cancer's stage is. This cancer staging helps determine which treatment will work the best.

There are 3 basic stages of Prostate Cancer:

  • • Early stage cancer confined to the prostate (T-1, T-2)
  • • Locally advanced cancer extending beyond the prostate (T-3)
  • • Metastatic cancer which has spread to other organs such as lymph nodes or bones (T-4)

Ablatherm® HIFU is only recommended for treatment of cancer confined to the prostate gland (T-1 and T-2).

More on prostate cancer

Prostate Cancer SYMPTOMS

Prostate cancer tends to affect older men. Risk factors for prostate cancer include age, hereditary factors, diet, ethnic background as well as lifestyle (sedentary vs. active).

Prostate cancer will develop without any symptoms during the beginning stages. Cancer can only be diagnosed by screening and the only way to confirm prostate cancer is through a biopsy.

Later stages of prostate cancer may result in symptoms such as bone pain.

Other diseases of the prostate include prostatitis - a disease which causes urinary symptoms as well as lower abdominal pain and fever and an increase in the PSA.  This condition of the prostate can be treated with antibiotics.

Another disease affecting the prostate is prostatic adenoma, which is when the prostate becomes hypertrophied, or overdeveloped. This disease known as BPH can result in painful urination or discomfort  because you are unable to urinate, but is not caused by cancer.

If you suspect you have a prostate disease or are at risk, visit your urologist for consultation and tests.

 

 

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