Prostate cancer occurs when abnormal cells develop in the prostate and start to grow in an uncontrolled way.
There are different types of prostate cancer. In some men prostate cancer grows too slowly to cause any problems and does not require treatment but, in other men, prostate cancer grows quickly and spreads aggressively and treatment is needed to stop it spreading and prevent serious illness.
The different types of prostate cancer include:
The cause of prostate cancer is unknown, but some factors can increase your risk of developing prostate cancer. These include age with men aged 50 or older more likely to develop prostate cancer, African-Caribbean or African descent, family history if your father or brother has been affected by prostate cancer, and obesity.
Usually, men have no prostate cancer symptoms for many years until the cancer is large enough to put pressure on their urethra tube that they urinate through. You should bear in mind that a man’s prostate gland can get bigger with age due to a non-cancerous condition called prostate enlargement and so the symptoms may not only signify prostate cancer.
Symptoms of prostate cancer include:
If you have these symptoms it is important to get them checked out by a doctor.
If prostate cancer has spread it may present other symptoms such as back pain, hip pain or pelvis pain, erectile dysfunction, testicle pain, and unexplained weight loss.
Prostate cancer is highly treatable in the early stages. Screening for prostate cancer is controversial and there is no screening programme for prostate cancer on the NHS. There is no single prostate cancer test and all tests have benefits and risks. Prostate cancer diagnosis has advanced rapidly over the last decade. Your consultant will discuss these in detail with you.
Prostate cancer screening tests might include:
The stage of prostate cancer describes the size of the cancer tumour and how far it has spread from the prostate. Prostate cancer is also graded based on the appearance of the cancerous cells. Together staging and grading prostate cancer will help doctors determine the best treatment.
Cancer grades
The Gleason score is the most common system doctors use to grade prostate cancer. A pathologist looks at several biopsy samples of your prostate cells and grades each sample based on how quickly they are likely to grow or how aggressive the cells look. There are five Grade Groups. Grade Group 1 is the least aggressive and Grade Group 5 is the most aggressive.
Prostate cancer treatment options are based on several factors including how fast the cancer is growing, how much it has spread, your general health and also the benefits and side effects of the treatment. Our expert consultants will discuss these with you in detail.
Possible treatments include:
Cancer that reaches an advanced stage cannot be cured but its progression can be slowed down to prolong life and relieve symptoms. Radiotherapy, hormone treatment, and chemotherapy are treatment options for prostate cancer at this stage.
Prostate cancer is the most commonly identified cancer in the UK with 1 in 8 men being diagnosed during their lifetime.
Prostate cancer occurs when cancer cells form in the tissue of a man’s prostate gland. It often has no symptoms in its early stages when it is most treatable.
Here at Ramsay Health Care UK, we have a team of expert urologist and cancer specialists on hand to advise, diagnose, and treat prostate cancer.
We understand the anxiety that prostate cancer symptoms can bring and the importance of early testing to bring peace of mind and to help diagnose symptoms early for a better treatment outcome. We offer convenient appointments to talk through the benefits and risks of all tests and treatments so that you are fully informed and understanding of all implications.
We have strict protocols in place to minimise your risk of infection whilst you receive the best care at one of our Ramsay hospitals. These include social distancing in our waiting areas, optimised patient flows, additional cleaning rotas for common touchpoint areas, and adequate PPE.
Detailed information about diagnostic tests at Ramsay which include CT (X-rays) & MRI scans, ultrasounds, endoscopy, blood tests & PSA testing.
Immunotherapy as a cancer treatment - how it works, what's involved, procedure, approach - Ramsay Health Care UK
Skin Cancer Treatment at Ramsay Health Care, including symptoms, types and treatments for different skin cancers.