Not for nothing has been prostate cancer been termed a silent killer. One of the reasons for this dreaded disease being called a silent killer is because a vast majority of men are not aware of the particulars of prostate cancer. The confirming of prostate cancer is perhaps the only stage from where onwards they come to know more in detail about this particular ailment. In fact recent statistics indicate that the awareness among men about prostate cancer is lower when compared to their awareness about breast cancer, a disease which you would associate only with women.
This is the reason why men should become more aware of the various stages of prostate cancer and not wait till confirming the prostate cancer. There are basically five stages of prostate cancer. Technically speaking the first state is known as the T-1 state. During this stage prostate cancer is diagnosed and detected though a biopsy or a blood test. This is a stage where ultrasound and rectal exams do not detect the cancer. T-2 is the second stage of the disease where sometimes confirming the prostate cancer takes place. During this stage the cancer can be detected either with an ultrasound or through a digital rectal examination. The tumor at this stage is usually confined to the prostate area.
T-3 is the third stage of prostate cancer. This is the stage when the cancer starts to spread towards the seminal vesicles and other close by tissues. T-4 is the fourth stage of prostate cancer. At this stage the cancer is usually regionally located and that is how confirming the prostate cancer takes place. T-5 is the last stage by which time the cancer would have spread to various other parts of the body such as bones, organs or lymph nodes. One should not wait for confirming the prostate cancer at such advanced stages and look out for symptoms during the earlier stages. Many a good physician would tell you about the foolhardiness of confirming the prostate cancer at a late stage. Regular examination is therefore very important. Men above 50 are usually recommended to undergo yearly examinations for confirming the prostate cancer. These yearly check ups can mean the difference between life and death, sometimes.
The method of treatment differs after the confirmation of the prostate cancer. They could vary from anything from radiation therapy to chemotherapy, surgery or a combination of any of these methods. Now days there are two types of surgery that are available to patients after the confirmation of the prostate cancer. One is the traditional open surgery. The second now is the choice of going in for laparoscopic surgery. Rapid modernization of the medical science has also given a newer method known as ‘robotic’ surgery. This method is known to preserve muscles and nerves around the prostate area. Radiation therapy as a treatment is also administered to a lot of patients after the confirmation of the prostate cancer. This treatment method involves killing of the cancerous cells in the prostate region. ‘Orchiectomy’ or surgical removal of the testicles is usually recommended for patients with advanced stages of prostate cancer.