If you are a man who is experiencing problems urinating or controlling urine, you may have prostate cancer. Urinary problems can have a profound effect on your self-esteem and independence. Talk to your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms. While prostate cancer rarely spreads to the bowel, it is possible. Some medications, radiotherapy and surgery to the prostate, and certain medications can cause bowel problems as well. Urinary symptoms include difficulty urinating and leaking from the back passage. Your doctor will be able to find any tumors if this is the case.
The symptoms of advanced prostate cancer depend on where the cancer has spread. Some cancers only spread to the bones while others can spread to the lymph nodes, liver, and lungs. A large prostate tumour can also press against the back passage or the urethra, the tube that transports urine from the bladder to the outside of the body. A diagnosis of this type of cancer will require treatment that is aimed at the location of the tumor.
Some men may also benefit from other hormonal therapies to treat prostate cancer. These drugs include abiraterone (Zytiga) and enzalutamide (Xtandi). They may also be prescribed alongside hormone therapy. Hormone therapy alone is not enough to cure prostate cancer, so doctors may also prescribe chemotherapy to suppress the tumor or slow its growth. Some men respond well to hormone therapy while others may need a longer course of treatment.
Surgery may also be recommended if the cancer has spread to the bones. Radiation can cause problems with urination, including leaking urine and rectal leakage. Additionally, hormone therapy can increase the risk of bone loss and diabetes. But there are no known treatments that can prevent prostate cancer from spreading to the bones. These are not to be dismissed, as all prostate cancer treatments can be harmful to your health. It is important to consult a doctor if you have any questions or concerns.
In the case of acute retention, the prostate tumor can block urine tubes leading to the bladder. This makes urination difficult and can cause kidney problems. Doctors may prescribe medication to reduce blockage and shrink the tumor. The disease may even require a catheter to drain the bladder. The cancerous tissue can even spread to other parts of the body, such as the bones and lungs. In such a case, radiotherapy might be needed.
Treatment options for prostate cancer depend on the stage of the disease and Gleason score. If the cancer is still in the early stages, active surveillance may be enough. Patients with low-risk cancer can choose not to undergo treatment if it continues to grow. But if it is detected at a later stage, it may be dangerous to the patient’s health. For this reason, doctors may choose to perform regular PSA blood tests to monitor its progress.
Although there is no definitive cause of prostate cancer, many researchers believe that diet plays a role. People who eat large amounts of meat, dairy, and other foods high in fat are at a greater risk of developing advanced cancer. Countries with low-fat diets and rice are generally lower in the incidence of prostate cancer. This pattern continues in the sons of men who eat low-fat diets. And prostate cancer is not just found in high-fat countries, either.
