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| U.S. researchers claim prostate cancer and tumors could possibly be detected by a new breakthrough in blood testing, that would reduce unnecessary biopsies.
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When it comes to the male prostate there's no room for compromise. Regular screenings for the cancer are imperative. Until recent studies, the most common form of diagnosis was through biopsy - a medical operation. Research now shows that new blood testing techniques may serve as a form of diagnosis.
Every year millions of men in North America are faced with possibility of being diagnosed with prostate cancer. Up until now the only sure way to 100% detect prostate was through a biopsy, where small pieces of the prostate are removed for closer study. However, recently a new study of the cancer revealed that alternate blood testing techniques may be used in detecting this type of cancer.
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Prostate cancer is a disease in which cancer develops in the prostate - a gland in the male reproductive system. This occurs when cells of the prostate change form and multiply uncontrollably.
Experiencing prostate cancer can be life altering. If diagnosed, it will be necessary to make some very difficult decisions in regards to treatments. This can affect not only the life of a man, but also the lives of his family members. These decisions can hold devastating emotional and mental effects.
REPRODUCTIVE ORGAN
The prostate is a male reproductive organ which helps make and store seminal fluid. The male prostate is located in the pelvis, under the bladder and in front of the rectum. It surrounds the urethra - the tube that carries urine from the bladder during urination and semen during ejaculation
This cancer develops most frequently in men over 50. Only men can suffer from this form of cancer, as the prostate is located solely in the reproductive tract of the male. In the United States, prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer in men and responsible for more male deaths than any other - with the exception to lung cancer.
Although many men suffer from prostate cancer, few develop symptoms and don't undergo therapy, eventually dieing of other causes. Two key factors are genetics and diet - both have been associated to the development of prostate cancer.
RECENT STUDY
The Washington Post reported that a recent study published in the April issue of the journal Urology, Johns Hopkins Hospital researchers said that EPCA-2 testing is more accurate than the current prostate specific antigen (PSA) test, in identifying cancer in the prostate. PSA is a protein produced by the cells of the prostate gland. The PSA test measures this protein, while EPCA-2 detects a chemical primarily made in cancerous tissue.
Robert H. Getzenberg -- professor of urology and director of research at the James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine -- said PSA testing often mistakenly highlights non-cancerous conditions and can miss some cases of cancer.
Approximately 1.6 million men undergo prostate biopsies in the United States annually, and roughly 80 percent of them have negative results. Johns Hopkins Hospital is working with Onconome Inc., a biomedical company based in Seattle, to bring the test to market within the next 18 months.
SYMPTOMS OF PROSTATE CANCER
- Hesitancy in urinating
- Difficulty initiating urination
- Frequent urination
- Loss of force in stream of urination
- Getting up frequently at night to urinate
PREVENTION
Several medications and vitamins may also help prevent prostate cancer. Dietary supplements such as vitamin E and selenium - when taken on a daily basis may inhibit the cancer from forming. Estrogens from plant sources called phytoestrogens, and soybeans also play a vital role in prevention. In 2006 a study of green tea concluded that derivatives from the tea demonstrated promising prostate prevention. As well, an Australian research team in 2003 led by Graham Giles of The Cancer Council Australia concluded that frequent masturbation by males appears to help prevent the development of the cancer.
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