Detecting Signs of Prostate Cancer

Early Detection Delivers Best Chance for Successful Treatment

JUNE 26, 2024: Prostate cancer is a type of cancer that occurs in the prostate gland, which sits just below the bladder in males. The prostate, a small walnut-shaped gland which produces the seminal fluid that transports sperm, surrounds the top part of the urethra, the tube that drains urine from the bladder.

Prostate cancer grows slowly and, when detected early while still confined to the prostate gland, has the best chance for successful treatment. Many experts have stated that it has never been clear what exactly causes prostate cancer.

This type of cancer begins when cells in the prostate cause changes in their DNA, instructing the cells to grow and divide more rapidly than normal cells do. While the abnormal cells continue living, other cells will die. Accumulating abnormal cells then form a tumor that can grow to invade nearby tissues, and some abnormal cells may break away and spread — or metastasize — to other parts of the body.

When prostate cancer spreads to nearby organs such as the bladder, it travels through the bloodstream or lymphatic system to the bones or other organs. Once prostate cancer will have already spread to other areas of the body, it may still respond to treatment and may be controlled, but will unlikely be cured.

Signs, Symptoms and Risk Factors

While it may cause no sign or symptom in its early stages, prostate cancer that is already more advanced may cause some of the many signs and symptoms such as:

Trouble urinating, including decreased force in the stream of urine, and weak urine flow or flow that starts and stops (oliguria)
Blood in the urine, including pain or burning when peeing (dysuria)
Blood in the semen (hematospermia)
Pain in the bone, lower back, hip or chest
Loss of weight
Loss of bladder control (urinary incontinence)
Loss of bowel control (fecal incontinence)
Painful ejaculation and erectile dysfunction (ED)

Some of the common factors that can increase risks of prostate cancer include:

Older age (Most common after 50y/o)
Family history
Obesity
Other types of cancer that spreads or metastasizes

Most diagnoses of prostate cancer will most likely be adenocarcinoma, which start in the cells of glands that secrete fluid, like the prostate. As prostate cancer rarely forms from other types of cells, other less common types of prostate cancers include:

Small cell carcinomas
Transitional cell carcinomas
Neuroendocrine tumors
Sarcomas

In the United States, prostate cancer is second only to skin cancer as the most common cancer affecting men, with approximately 34,000 people in the US dying from prostate cancer each year.

Overcoming Barriers

In a recent Frontiers study on overcoming barriers to prostate cancer care in the Philippines, it said the country faces a complex set of factors and barriers to equitable access to quality prostate cancer care. The February 2024 Frontiers study said these unique geographic, economic, political and sociocultural factors have influenced access to screening, diagnosis and treatment in the Philippines, including access to medical specialists and essential medicines, as well as surgical and radiotherapeutic equipment.

Between 1980 and 2007, based on Philippine Cancer Society data, Frontiers said prostate cancer incidence in two urbanized regions in the country increased at an annual rate of 2.1%. It noted that between the years 2000 and 2019, incidence of prostate cancer in the Philippines increased at an average of 0.58% annually. In 2020, an estimate of over 8,200 Filipino men were newly diagnosed, making prostate cancer the third highest incidence of cancer in males, and the fifth most common overall. Moreover, it said survival rates in Asian countries have demonstrated that the Philippines had the lowest five-year survival rate in the region.

Cultural barriers and negative attitudes also compound prostate cancer awareness, with prevalent socio-cultural perceptions of masculinity. The study said traditional notions of masculinity and sexuality are often associated with traits such as stoicism, self-sufficiency, and physical strength. With men expected to embody these attributes that discourage them from seeking medical attention, the act of expressing vulnerability or acknowledging health concerns has been perceived as a sign of weakness.

Global Incidence, Mortality

A total of over 1.4 million new cases of prostate cancer and over 375,000 related deaths were reported in 2020 globally, based on an evaluation of the current status of prostate cancer incidence and mortality worldwide.

The study on Prostate Cancer Incidence and Mortality: Global Status and Temporal Trends in 89 Countries From 2000 to 2019 revealed the magnitude of increasing incidence and decreasing mortality, citing the need for further study to analyze the absolute effects of risk factors, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening and treatment for prostate cancer.

In fact, prostate cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer and the fifth leading cause of cancer death among men worldwide, with an estimated 1,414,000 new cancer cases and 375,304 deaths in 2020. Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in 112 countries, and the leading cause of cancer death in 48 countries.

Biopsy and Ultrasonography

Experts revealed that a definitive diagnosis of prostate cancer would require a biopsy of the prostate. In particular, prostate biopsies are typically taken with a needle passing through the rectum or perineum, guided by transrectal ultrasound imaging, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or a combination of the two.

Several guidelines of various urological societies have recommended MRI in evaluating the prostate for potential tumors in men with high PSA levels. MRI results can therefore help distinguish those who have potentially dangerous tumors in the prostate from those who do not.

Another method is through transrectal ultrasonography, or TRUS, a method of creating an image of organs in the pelvis. TRUS is most commonly used to perform an ultrasound-guided needle biopsy evaluation of the prostate gland in men with elevated PSA or with prostatic nodules in digital rectal exams.

TRUS-guided biopsy reveals the incidence of both prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or hypertrophy, or prostatitis. TRUS may also detect other diseases of the lower rectum and can be used to stage primary rectal cancer.

Equipment Solutions

As one of the leading diagnostic medical imaging equipment distributors in the country, Himex Corporation offers high-quality equipment systems that help monitor and detect early signs or incidence of prostate cancer.

Himex Corporation has pioneered the joint-venture business model for imaging machines, as well as fostered partnerships with over 20 hospitals and served over 2 million patients, with over three decades of experience and expertise in medical machine imagery. To know more about our equipment solutions in MRI, CT-scan, X-ray and ultrasound machines, send us a message through our social media accounts.

References:

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#highintegrated #hospitalequipment

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Himex Corporation is one of the leading diagnostic medical imaging equipment distributors in the Philippines.

With 35 years of experience in the import, sales and after-sales of MRI, CT-scan, X-ray, and Ultrasound machines, Himex offers high-quality brand-new and pre-owned systems. And with over 1,200 installations at over 700 hospitals nationwide, Himex possesses unparalleled experience in sales and after-sales services.

Himex has also pioneered the joint-venture business model for imaging machines and has fostered partnerships with over 20 hospitals, serving over 2 million patients, answering the need of the community for quality-assured innovations and technological expertise in the field of medical instrumentation.