Prostate cancer, 3D illustration showing the appearance of tumors in the prostate gland compressing the urethra. (Source: Shutterstock)
Prostate cancer
Definition of prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is a malignant tumor disease, and starts from the glandular tissue of the prostate gland. For years, the rate of prostate cancer is steadily increasing.
Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men: currently about 47 new men per 100,000 men per year develop prostate cancer. Especially men over 50 years are affected. Now every second man over the age of 70 has prostate cancer.
Symptoms of prostate cancer
The disease has no symptoms in the early stages.
In the advanced stage, symptoms may occur such as bladder draining problems, bone pain and later weight loss and anemia. Often now the patient complains about increasing back pain or symptoms similar to those of prostatic hyperplasia.
Diagnosis of prostate cancer
When the first diagnosis is made, and symptoms have already occurred, a metastasis has often occurred primarily in the local lymph nodes, or in the skeletal (bone metastases). Usually, the doctor tracks prostate cancer by rectal examination as irregular, almost rock hard knots can be felt. The blood test and a biopsy are used to confirm the diagnosis.
A treatment with the chance of cure is possible if the degenerate tissues has not yet exceeded the boundaries of the organ and if there are no metastases. Since complaints usually only occur when the disease is advanced, a regular screening examination for men over 50 years (from the age of 45 for men with a positive family history) is offered in Germany to diagnose cancer at an early as possible and more curable stage.