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Prostate Cancer Research Paper

Decent Essays

Much isn’t said about the prostate and prostate cancer in the mainstream media, except that it affects mainly men who are 40 and older. The National Cancer Institute says it’s the second most common cancer in men in the U.S., after skin cancer. It is the second leading cause of death from cancer in men.
The prostate is a gland that’s part of the male reproductive system, and it helps make the sperm mobile. Besides cancer, there are other conditions that can affect the prostate as a man ages, including prostatitis, erectile dysfunction or ED, and enlarged prostate or Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). Most of these are not life-threatening, but Dr. Obie Stalcup with the Grace Health System Urology Center says ED may be a sign of bigger problems. “Erectile dysfunction precedes a …show more content…

The National Cancer Institute says there are no known symptoms when it’s in the early stages. Men who have advanced prostate cancer may often have urination problems such as frequent trips to the bathroom, or a weaker flow of urine. But these are also symptoms of less serious conditions.
Many prostate cancers are found with the two-step screening process: a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test and or a digital rectal exam (DRE). Until recently, all men were advised to have a PSA blood test starting at age 50. The test measures the level of a protein produced by the prostate cells. Dr. Stalcup says there’s much research on the PSA which says it’s not a good test. But he says right now, it’s the best and least-invasive test available.
Dr. Stalcup says a high PSA result can also be a sign of an infection. To rule out cancer, he says doctors can do an MRI biopsy. “Everything is a gray zone until you get a piece of it that says it’s cancer.” The National Cancer Institute says only about 25 percent of men who have a prostate biopsy due to an elevated PSA level actually have prostate

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