Despite the fact that there are roughly 221,000 new cases of prostate cancer diagnosed in American men each year, many of them have no prostate cancer symptoms. In these asymptomatic men, prostate cancer is often detected during routine screening with tests such as a digital rectal exam, urinalysis, and possibly … Read More
Before widespread prostate cancer screening began in the late 1980s, many men newly diagnosed with the disease had advanced cancer that had spread beyond the prostate. Today, in the screening era, most men with the disease are diagnosed when their cancer is in an earlier, more curable stage. But, even … Read More
Receiving a diagnosis of prostate cancer is shocking—so much so that you might not fully process anything your doctor says after the “C word.” Consequently, you might forget about another “C word”—cure—and fail to understand that a prostate cancer diagnosis is not a death sentence. So, can prostate cancer be … Read More
The glandular cells of the prostate play an important role in reproduction, producing the fluids that help make up semen. These tiny cells also serve as the birthplace for nearly all prostate cancers. Genes in these cells slowly mutate, leading to the formation of abnormal cells. The cells proliferate and … Read More
Prostate screening traditionally has focused on two methods: the digital rectal exam (DRE) and prostate specific antigen, or PSA testing. Researchers have always worked toward improving the accuracy and reliability of both modalities. Along the way, PSA test options have been surfacing. New methods seek to clarify diagnoses in men … Read More
Prostate cancer stages describe how far a cancer of the prostate has spread. Doctors define stages in determining treatment for prostate cancer and in predicting the chances of recovery. Prostate cancer stages are determined by evaluating the prostate tissue and determining its Gleason score (a microscopic assessment of the cells’ … Read More
The prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test remains central to prostate cancer screening and, at the same time, at the center of considerable controversy. While proponents cite data supporting the test as a way to reduce the risk of dying from prostate cancer, critics point to the chain of events that … Read More
