Men's health science: How close is prostate cancer to men

Prostate cancer is a malignant tumor that occurs in the male prostate tissue. It is the result of abnormal and disordered growth of prostate acinar cells. Its incidence rate has obvious geographical and racial differences. In developed countries and regions such as Europe and the United States, it is the most common malignant tumor in men.

How to detect prostate cancer early?

The most convenient method for prostate cancer screening currently recognized is a combination of digital rectal examination of the prostate and serum PSA testing. Both play an important role in screening.

Normally, the vast majority of prostate cancers are discovered by abnormal PSA, accounting for 80%, while only 20% of them are found to have nodular abnormalities during rectal examination. Usually, men should start prostate cancer screening at the age of 50; if there is a family history of prostate cancer, prostate cancer screening should be started at the age of 40.

What are the risk factors for prostate cancer?

① Age: The incidence of prostate cancer increases sharply with age, and the vast majority of prostate cancer patients are over 65 years old. Basically, the incidence of prostate cancer almost doubles with every 10 years of age after the age of 40. The risk of prostate cancer in men aged 50-59 is 10%, while the risk of prostate cancer in men aged 80-89 increases sharply to 70%.

② Family history: When there is a direct male relative in the family suffering from prostate cancer, the incidence rate among men in the family is significantly increased.

③ Race: The incidence of prostate cancer is highest among African Americans (i.e. American blacks), while the incidence of prostate cancer among African blacks is the lowest in the world. Whether in mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, or Singapore, the incidence of prostate cancer has been increasing year by year.

④Diet: Some studies have shown that men who often eat foods high in animal fat are also prone to prostate cancer, and the mortality rate of prostate cancer is related to total fat intake. However, people who usually eat a diet rich in vegetables and fruits have a lower probability of getting the disease.

⑤ Androgen level: High androgen level in the body is also a possible cause of prostate cancer. Androgen can promote the growth of prostate cancer.

What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer usually originates from the peripheral zone of the prostate gland. It has a relatively hidden onset and grows slowly. Therefore, there may be no early symptoms of prostate cancer. Once symptoms appear, they are usually advanced prostate cancer. Symptoms include the following:

① Progressive dysuria, manifested by thinning of urine stream, deflection of urine stream, bifurcation of urine stream or prolonged urination, frequent urination, urgency, pain when urinating, a feeling of incomplete urination, etc. In severe cases, urine dripping and urine retention may occur.

②For advanced prostate cancer, symptoms such as fatigue, weight loss, and body pain may occur.

③When prostate cancer metastasizes to bones, it can cause bone pain at the metastatic site.

④ In case of advanced prostate cancer with spinal metastasis, if the spinal fracture occurs or the tumor invades the spinal cord, it may lead to nerve compression and paralysis, and you need to go to the hospital for emergency treatment immediately.

⑤ If prostate cancer invades the bladder base or pelvic lymph nodes are widely metastatic, unilateral or bilateral ureteral obstruction may occur. Symptoms and signs of ureteral obstruction include oliguria, back pain, nausea, vomiting, and fever when combined with infection.

⑥ Prostate cancer is usually not accompanied by hematuria and hematospermia. However, once hematuria and hematospermia occur, you should go to the urology clinic for relevant examinations to rule out the possibility of prostate or seminal vesicle tumors.

Can prostate cancer be cured?

Early prostate cancer can be cured through radical prostatectomy, so early screening and early diagnosis of prostate cancer should be emphasized. However, for advanced prostate cancer, surgery is not possible and only endocrine therapy, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy can be used for treatment, but the effect is not good.

What should you pay attention to in your diet for prostate cancer?

1. A high-fat diet can stimulate the growth of prostate cancer. Reducing the high-fat diet can reduce the incidence of prostate cancer. Beef and high-fat dairy products seem to be stimulants of prostate cancer. Excessive intake of dairy products can increase the risk of prostate cancer.

2. Fruits and vegetables and a low-fat diet may help reduce the risk of prostate cancer, including soybeans, tomatoes, pomegranates, red grapes, strawberries, garlic and citrus. Soybeans contain phytoestrogens, which are similar to estrogen in women and can reduce the risk of prostate cancer.

3. Green tea contains a variety of antioxidants, which can reduce the incidence of prostate cancer.

4. Many fish can prevent cardiovascular disease and cancer.

5. Selenium in the diet is mainly found in foods such as animal liver, seafood, whole grains, milk and dairy products, mushrooms, garlic and asparagus, which may reduce the incidence of prostate cancer.

What are some lifestyle recommendations for prostate cancer?

1. Maintain a proper weight, stick to physical exercise, and the amount of exercise should be appropriate.

2. Choose a plant-based diet; do not smoke or drink alcohol; limit fat intake, and fat intake should not exceed 20% of total calorie intake.

3. Do not eat junk food and try to avoid saturated fat in your diet; eat more fish, which are rich in certain beneficial fatty acids; eat fruits and vegetables every day, and limit the intake of sugar and salt, which can prevent cancer and keep your heart healthy.

4. Eat more fiber-rich foods and soy products every day, such as low-fat soy milk, tofu, soy protein powder, etc.; take adequate doses of calcium and vitamin D to prevent osteoporosis.