FAQs on Prostate Cancer

Prostate is a male only gland (not present in females)that sits right below the bladder and the urethra extending from the bottom of the bladder till the tip of the penis goes right through the prostate gland.

Sperms are produced and nourished in the testicles. Prostate gland produces the seminal fluids that are needed to transport the sperms after ejaculating into a woman’s vagina. The fluids not only help in supporting the sperms travel but also nourish them.

Like any other cancer, growth of abnormal cells in the prostate gland leads to prostate cancer.

Maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle helps in keeping several diseases at bay. Some risk factors of prostate cancer can’t be controlled such as age, genetics etc. There are other things that can be changed for better to reduce the risk of prostate cancer (naturally):

1. Healthy diet and healthy weight.
2. Regular exercise
3. Quit smoking 
4. Lower alcohol consumption
5. Spend more time in the Sun to produce natural vitamin D
6. Remain sexually active. It’s natural that with age, libido goes down but try doing your best.

Depends on the stage of the cancer. If the cancer is in the beginning stages and hasn’t spread to other parts of the body, radiation therapy and chemotherapy for cancer may be performed. In some people the prostate gland may have to be removed totally or partially. (called prostatectomy) before it spreads and kills the person.

No. Masturbation doesn’t cause prostate cancer. However, certain researchers have found that men who masturbate are at lower risk of developing prostate cancer.

Symptoms of prostate cancer include:

1. Pain or burning sensation during urination
2. Frequent urination and problem with free flow of urine
3. Presence of blood in urine
4. Problem emptying bladder
5. Erectile Dysfunction

For more information on symptoms of prostate cancer, refer to “Prostate Cancer – Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment”

Currently, there are no natural ways of curing prostate cancer. However,  if the prostate cancer is in the beginning stages and has not metastasized to other parts of the body, chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy will help in killing the malignant cancer cells in the prostate. In some cases, the prostate gland may be removed partially or completely.

Once you present yourself with the symptoms, your doctor may perform a physical examination to feel the prostate gland. If he/she is able to figure out any abnormal growths, imaging tests may be performed such as a CT scan or an MRI. 

Once the reports come up, a biopsy may be performed by extracting a tiny tissue sample from the prostate site to look for the presence of cancer cells.

The most accurate test for detecting prostate cancer is a prostate biopsy. In this procedure, a tiny tissue sample from the prostate gland is taken and observed under a microscope for the presence of cancerous cells.

Only in the late stages (after metastasizing) , prostate cancer can be a life threat. Aged men suffering from late stage prostate cancer have higher chances of dying due to prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer in Tamil – புரோஸ்டேட் புற்றுநோய்

Prostate cancer in Telugu – ప్రోస్టేట్ క్యాన్సర్

Prostate cancer in Hindi – प्रोस्टेट कैंसर

Prostate cancer in Kannada – ಪ್ರಾಸ್ಟೇಟ್ ಕ್ಯಾನ್ಸರ್

Prostate cancer in Malayalam – പ്രോസ്റ്റേറ്റ് കാൻസർ

Yes, genetic factors are involved in prostate cancer that makes it a possibly hereditary disease.

Stage 1 – Tumour can’t be felt during a DRE or seen with an imaging test. Your doctor may detect the tumour by chance.

Stage 2 – The tumour can be felt and detected with imaging tests and the cancer tumour is in the prostate gland only.

Stage 3 – The tumour has grown and has broken the wall of the prostate gland (to move out and spread).

Stage 4 – The tumour grows out and spreads to nearby parts of the body such as bladder, rectum, pelvic muscles etc.

Yes, though this is a very rare scenario, prostate cancer can metastasize to the brain.