Prostate, a chestnut shaped gland, encircles the upper-most part of the urethra as it connects with the urinary bladder in the male. Prostate cancer accounts for 16 percent of all cancers detected in males. It is uncommon among men under forty, but it is the third highest cause of male cancer deaths in men over fifty-five and the leading cause of cancers among men over seventy-five.

Cause(s): It is not known.

Symptoms:

Prostate cancer has to be differentiated from benign prostatic enlargement which is quite common in the same age-group or a little younger, and causes almost the same sort of symptoms. The usual symptoms of benign hypertrophy are:

• Hesitancy at the start of passing uring.
• Increased frequency of passing urine.
• Getting up at night also to pass urine.
• Retention of urine.

Men who get cancer of the prostate carry the disease with them for many years without suffering any noticeable symptoms. 90 per cent of the cases are not detected until the cancer has metastasized beyond the prostate gland. Indeed, often the condition is not discovered until an autopsy is performed after death from some other cause. An estimated 15 to 20 per cent of men over fifty may unknowingly be suffering from prostate cancer.f the skin, mouth of any other bodily orifice.

Pain on passing urine

Blood in urine

Pain in lower back, pelvis or upper thighs.

Diagnosis:

History of symptoms and indicative of the disease.

Routine:

Rectal examination for prostate enlargement and irregularity of its surface and ocmplaint by the patient of pain at the site, while doing the examination.

Blood:

Hb, RBC, TLC, DLC, ESR may be normal.

Special:

A needle biopsy taken though the rectal examination and its histological examination may clinch the diagnosis.

Serum estimation of acid phosphates, which is increased in prostate cancer.

Additional:

Prostate cancer may first reveal itself in the bones as metastasis or secondaries. X-ray of the bones can reveal this condition. Isotope scan of the suspicious bones can be done.