Prostate Cancer Health Article

Transrectal ultrasound

A small sound-producing device (transducer) is placed in the rectum and sound waves are released from it. These sound waves bounce off the prostate tissue and an image is created by a computer using the reflected sound waves. Since normal prostate tissue and prostate tumors reflect the sound waves differently, the test can be used to detect tumors. Though the insertion of the transducer into the rectum may be slightly uncomfortable, the procedure is generally painless and takes only about 20 minutes.

PROSTATE BIOPSY. If cancer is suspected from the results of any of the above tests, a physician will remove a small piece of prostate tissue with a hollow needle. This sample is then analyzed under a microscope for the presence of cancerous cells. Prostate biopsy is the most definitive diagnostic tool for prostate cancer.

If cancer is detected during the microscopic examination of the prostate tissue, a pathologist will grade the tumor. This means that the tumor will be scored on a scale of two to 10 to indicate how aggressive it is. Tumors with a lower score are less likely to grow and spread than are tumors with higher scores. This method of grading tumors is called the Gleason system. This is different from staging of the cancer. When a physician stages a cancer, a number is assigned. The number indicates whether it has spread and the extent of spread of the disease. In Stage I, the cancer is localized in the prostate in a single area; while in the last stage, Stage IV, the cancer cells have spread to other parts of the body.

X rays and imaging techniques

X-ray studies may be ordered to determine whether the cancer has spread to other areas. Imaging techniques (such as computed tomography [CT] scans and magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]), in which a computer is used to generate a detailed picture of the prostate and adjacent areas, may be undertaken to get a clearer view of the internal organs. A bone scan may be used to check whether the cancer has spread to bones.

The American Cancer Society and other organizations recommend that PSA blood testing and digital rectal examinations be offered to men with at least a 10-year life expectancy beginning at age 50. Men at higher risk for prostate cancer, such as those with a family history of the disease or African American men, may wish to consider screening at an earlier age, such as 45. A low-fat diet may slow the progression of prostate cancer. Hence, the American Cancer Society recommends a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and dietary fiber; and low in red meat and saturated fats, in order to reduce the risk of prostate cancer.