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Prostate Cancer: Most Popular Articles

These articles are the most popular over the last month.
High PSA Causes
What are some other causes of an elevated PSA? Thousands of men each year are told that they have a high PSA level after undergoing a routine screening test. The most important and most concerning cause of an elevated PSA is prostate cancer. However, prostate cancer is only one of many potential causes of an elevated PSA.
Prostate Cancer Symptoms
Hundreds of thousands of men have symptoms that could signal an underlying problem with the prostate. What symptoms should you look for? Should you be concerned with your symptoms? Do these symptoms necessarily mean you have prostate cancer?
All About the PSA Test
The PSA (prostate specific antigen) test is used around the world to screen for prostate cancer. What should you know about this important test?
What Is BPH?
BPH (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia), or "enlarged prostate", is a common condition that can mimic the symptoms of prostate cancer. What should you know about this important condition.
Percent-Free PSA
Percent-Free PSA is one of a number of recent advances in the understanding of the PSA test for prostate cancer. Does your percent-free PSA matter?
Prostate Cancer Treatment
Today, many treatment options for prostate cancer exist. This guide will help you sort through the options and give you a summary of the most important treatments to know about. From surgery to radiation to hormone therapy, the most important treatments for prostate cancer are covered.
Bone Scan Basics
The bone scan is an important test used to detect prostate cancer that has spread to the bones. Many men who have prostate cancer will undergo this test at some point. So, why is it important and how does it work?
Prostate Cancer Diagnosis
Every year, thousands of men are diagnosed with prostate cancer. Because of the high numbers of men afflicted with this disease, annual screening tests have been put into place to hopefully catch prostate cancer in its early stages. A number of tests also exist to confirm the presence of prostate cancer after an abnormality is found through screening.
Grading and Gleason Score
Grading is an important part of the evaluation of your prostate cancer. What is prostate cancer grading? What does your Gleason score mean?
What Is Prostate Cancer?
What is prostate cancer: The three key questions that anyone interested in this disease must have answered. What is the prostate? What is cancer? What is prostate cancer?
The Prostate Biopsy
A biopsy of the prostate is an essential part of the definitive diagnosis of prostate cancer. What can you expect before, during, and after this procedure.
PSA Results
Your PSA results can be a source of anxiety or reassurance. It is essential to understand what your PSA results really mean and what, if anything, you need to do about them.
Digital Rectal Exam
The digital rectal exam is an essential part of the detection and early diagnosis of prostate cancer. Many men are worried about this test, so it's important to know what to expect.
Tests Used for Staging
Prostate cancer staging is one of the most important factors used when determining your overall prognosis and which treatment option is the best for you. Virtually all prostate cancer patients undergo some level of staging and it is important to have a basic understanding of how this is accomplished.
What If My PSA Is Elevated?
What happens if the results of your PSA test show that your PSA is elevated? Learn more about what steps your doctor may take to find the cause of your elevated PSA and to determine whether or not you have a serious condition such as prostate cancer.
Lifestyle Choices
Is prostate cancer prevention possible? Can changes in your lifestyle actually decrease your chance of getting prostate cancer? Every year, more and more research is done showing that there may be associations between certain everyday lifestyle choices we make and the development of prostate cancer. What are the five most important lifestyle choices a man can take to lessen his risk of prostate cancer?
PSA Density
PSA density is just one of a number of recent advances that have been made in the understanding of the PSA test.
PSA Velocity
PSA (prostate specific antigen) velocity refers to the speed of change of PSA over time. More and more evidence has been found that PSA velocity is an important piece of information for evaluating prostate cancer risk.
Statistics
Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in men today. With this in mind, what are the most important statistics to know about this disease?
Prostate Cancer Myths
There are many misconceptions or myths that continue to surround prostate cancer and its treatment. What are the ten prostate cancer myths of which everyone should be aware?
Prostate Ultrasound
Prostate ultrasound imaging is commonly used to evaluate the prostate when cancer is suspected. What should you know about this important tool? How does ultrasound work? What can it measure? What does it tell my doctor about the prostate?
Types of Physicians
During the course of your prostate cancer diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care you will likely be working with a number of different types of physicians. It is important to have a basic idea of what each of these physicians does and what type of training they have undergone.
Prostate Cancer Stages
It is important to know the prostate cancer stages. The stage of your prostate cancer determines a lot about what treatment options you will have, what your prognosis will be, and what types of tests you may have to have.
Vasectomy Association
Vasectomy is an extremely common surgery in the United States and across the world and millions of men in the world have underwent this procedure over the last few decades. There have been multiple reports in the media and in the scientific literature that have linked men who have had vasectomies with higher rates of prostate cancer.
Pros and Cons of Screening
Prostate cancer screening involves the use of testing in men who have no symptoms of the disease. Screening for prostate cancer is now much more widely used than in the past and has gained broad acceptance by many physicians in the United States and a number of other countries. Despite it’s extensive use, it is still important to weigh the pros and cons of screening.
Brachytherapy Side Effects
It is important to understand the potential side effects that may result from brachytherapy (seed implants) for prostate cancer.
Radiation Basics
Radiation therapy is one of the most common forms of treatment for prostate cancer today. What are the basics that everyone should know about this important treatment option?
Prostate Cancer Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is not commonly used to treat prostate cancer. However, there are two specific sets of circumstances where chemotherapy is typically used. It is important to know the basics about this important form of treatment.
Risks
Risks for Prostate Cancer: Thousands of research studies have been done with the goal of finding what causes prostate cancer. While no definitive, absolute causes have been found, these studies have provided us with a great deal of knowledge about what are the most important risk factors for this disease.
Detection of Metastases
Detection of prostate cancer metastasis (or spread) is an important aspect of proper prostate cancer care. So, what should you know about detection of prostate cancer metastasis?
Hormone Therapy
Hormone therapy is one of the primary treatment options available today for prostate cancer. What should you know about hormone therapy for prostate cancer?
TNM Staging System
The TNM staging system for prostate cancer is the most commonly used staging system. The primary tumor, lymph nodes, and presence of metastasis are used to determine the staging category. What does your stage mean?
Prostate Cancer vs. BPH
Prostate cancer and BPH can cause identical symptoms and high PSA levels. How do these two diseases compare and contrast?
Complications Overview
Unfortunately, for many men who have undergone treatment for prostate cancer, complications of their treatment is a fact of life. What are the most frequent complications that can occur following the standard prostate cancer treatments?
Prostate Cancer - Articles
An index of articles for the Prostate Cancer guide site.
Free Radicals
Free Radicals - Definition of Free Radicals
EBRT Side Effects
It is important to understand the potential side effects that may result from external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) for prostate cancer.
Seminal Vesicle
A seminal vesicle is one of a pair of small tubular glands that are near the prostate. The primary function of the seminal vesicles involves the production of fluid that makes up a significant percentage of semen. The seminal vesicles are an early place of metastasis or spread of prostate cancer.
Enlarged Prostate
An enlarged prostate is a common problem among older men. There are several potential causes of an enlarged prostate. It is important to understand what an enlarged prostate is and what can cause it.
Prostatitis
A condition where the prostate becomes inflamed due to an infection or another cause. Often painful or irritating. May cause an elevated PSA level. Often cured with antibiotics if caused by infection.
Alkaline Phosphatase
Alkaline phosphatase is an enzyme found in the blood that can signal that prostate cancer has spread to the bones. The test for alkaline phosphatase is a common and important aspect of the monitoring of prostate cancer.
What Does the Prostate Do?
Prostate Function - What Is the Prostate's Function
Uncommon Symptoms
Urinary problems are the most common initial symptoms of prostate cancer, however, there a number of uncommon symptoms that you should be aware of as well.
Prostate Cancer Recurrence
Prostate cancer recurrence is something that all men with prostate cancer hope to avoid. How do you know if your prostate cancer has come back after initial treatment? What are the next steps if it has come back?
Signs of Prostate Cancer
Hundreds of thousands of men have signs and symptoms that could signal an underlying problem with the prostate. What signs and symptoms should you look for? What signs and symptoms may be due to a condition other than prostate cancer?
Prostate Cancer Rates by Age
Prostate cancer risk increases with increasing age and is uncommon before the age of 40. It's prevalence increases quickly after the age of 40, however. How many men of a given age actually have prostate cancer? You might be surprised by this breakdown of prostate cancer rates by age.
Erectile Dysfunction + Surgery
Men are often worried about the potential side effects of prostate cancer surgery. For many men, one of the most worrisome potential complications of prostate surgery is erectile dysfunction, also known as impotence. What should you know about prostate cancer surgery and erectile dysfunction?
Radical Prostatectomy
Radical prostatectomy is the most common type of surgery performed to treat early prostate cancer. It can be done through an "open" approach or laparoscopically. Like any other treatment option, there are pros and cons to a radical prostatectomy.
Prevalence
Definition of prevalence.
Brachytherapy
Brachytherapy for Prostate Cancer. Brachytherapy (sometimes called "seed therapy") is a treatment option for men diagnosed with prostate cancer. It is a form of radiation therapy, where tiny radioactive implants are placed in to the prostate.
Vitamins During Treatment
Prostate cancer treatment can be difficult and you may think that taking vitamins during this time is obviously the right thing to do. With radiation therapy, however, not all doctors agree that vitamins are beneficial. Read more to learn about why taking vitamins during prostate cancer treatment may not be the best idea.
De Novo - Definition
De novo is one of those terms you may hear your doctor say. But what does it mean? Learn the definition here.
Treatments That Can Cause ED?
Men are often worried about the potential side effects of prostate cancer treatment. For many men, one of the most worrisome potential complications of prostate cancer treatment is erectile dysfunction, also known as impotence. So which prostate cancer treatments can result in erectile dysfunction?
The Two Key Staging Systems
Two primary staging systems are used to categorize prostate cancers by their stages. The TNM system and the Jewett System are both used today. It is important to have a basic understanding of both of these systems.
Urologist
Urologist - Definition of Urologist
Family History and Risk
It has long been known that prostate cancer has a strong genetic component. In other words, it can “run in families”. So what do we know about the role that family history may play in prostate cancer?
Surveillance
Prostate cancer surveillance does not end with treatment. Following treatment for prostate cancer, men must be monitored for recurrence of their disease. How is this done and what do you need to know?
Exercise and Prostate Cancer
What are the benefits of regular exercise for prostate cancer and overall health? Can regular exercise decrease your risk of prostate cancer? Can it improve your tolerance of treatment or even expand the number of treatment options that are available to you?
What to Ask About Treatment
The time just after you have been diagnosed with prostate cancer can be a time of conflicting emotions and difficulty in sorting through all that needs to be done or thought about. When you first start to explore treatment options, there are a number of things that you need to be sure to ask your physician before making a decision of which option to proceed with.
External Beam Radiation
Radiation therapy is a commonly-used treatment for prostate cancer. Radiation therapy can be administered from outside the body (external beam radiation therapy) or from inside the body (brachytherapy).
Definition of CT (CAT) Scan
CT (CAT) Scan - Definition of CT (CAT) Scan
Prostate Cancer Emergencies
Prostate cancer can result in symptoms that require emergent attention from a physician. Problems ranging from acute urinary retention to spinal cord compression can occur. While these symptoms are rare, prostate cancer patients should be aware of them.
Who Is at Risk?
Risk for Prostate Cancer - Who Is at Risk for Prostate Cancer
Digital Rectal Exam Results
The results you receive from your digital rectal exam (DRE) can tell you and your doctor a great deal. What should you know about what your results might mean?
Prostate Cancer and ED
Men are often worried about the potential side effects of prostate cancer treatment. For many men, one of the most worrisome potential complications of prostate cancer treatment is erectile dysfunction, also known as impotence. What should you know about prostate cancer treatment and erectile dysfunction?
Prostate Cancer Research
Breakthroughs in prostate cancer continue to happen frequently and a variety of exciting developments are currently being studied. Around the world, thousands of physicians, scientists, and others are studying this disease.
High-Dose Rate Brachytherapy
High-dose rate brachytherapy is a newer treatment option for prostate cancer that uses radioactive implants which deliver high rates of radiation to the prostate over a short amount of time.
Adjunctive Therapy
The definition of adjunctive therapy. Find out the meaning of adjunctive therapy and what is means for prostate cancer treatment.
BPH - Definition
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) - Definition of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)
MRI - Definition of MRI
MRI - Definition of MRI
PSA Nadir Definition
Men with prostate cancer know how important their PSA numbers are. But how many know what their PSA nadir is? Find out more about this important PSA concept.
Natural History
The natural history of prostate cancer is no longer commonly seen in the developed world. Most men undergo some form of treatment for their prostate cancer, once discovered. Prostate cancer, if left untreated indefinitely, can spread to other local tissues or distantly to other sites in the body.
Prostate Gland
The prostate gland is an important structure present only men. Because prostate cancer and other conditions can develop within the prostate, it is important to understand what it is and what it does.
African-American Cancer
Black men have higher rates of prostate cancer, die more often from prostate cancer, and have their prostate cancer diagnosed later.
What Is Cryotherapy for Prosta
Cryotherapy is a form of treatment for prostate cancer in which the cancerous cells are destroyed through freezing. What do you need to know about this important alternative therapy?
Soy and Prostate Cancer
You may have heard that eating soy or soy-based products may help protect you from developing prostate cancer. Is this really true? What do we really know about soy and prostate cancer?
Jewett Staging System
Two primary systems describe the stage of prostate cancer today. The TNM system is the most commonly used, but the Jewett system is also used by some hospitals and physicians. If your physician uses this system to stage your prostate cancer, it is important to know what your stage means.
Factors Determining ED
Men are often worried about the potential side effects of prostate cancer treatment. For many men, one of the most worrisome potential complications of prostate treatment is erectile dysfunction, also known as impotence. What determines how severe erectile dysfunction will be following treatment for prostate cancer.
PET Scan Definition
PET Scan - Definition of PET Scan
Watchful Waiting
Watchful waiting is an alternative to active treatment that some men with prostate cancer may choose. It involves close monitoring for cancer progression without any active treatment being used.
Benign Definition
What does benign mean? What is the definition of benign?
Your Doctor's Biases
Your doctor's biases in favor of his/her own specialty is an important thing to keep in mind when evaluating prostate cancer treatment options.
Never Diagnosed
Even though today we have several tools at our disposal that can be used to detect and diagnose prostate cancer, thousands of men continue to go undiagnosed every year. Why are some men never diagnosed with prostate cancer?
Definition of Bone Scan
Bone Scan - Definition of Bone Scan
Kegel Exercises Definition
Kegel exercises can be an important part of regaining or retaining urinary control. Find out what they are here.
Nerve-Sparing Prostatectomy
Many men suffer from erectile dysfunction following surgery to remove the prostate. Because of this, surgeons have developed a modified form of the prostatectomy known as the nerve-sparing prostatectomy that may help to lessen the chances of developing erectile dysfunction.
HIFU Basics
HIFU (High Intensity Focused Ultrasound) is a therapy option for BPH or prostate cancer (in some countries) that uses focused ultrasound waves to create intense heat at a specific site. Learn more about this prostate treatment option.
Hematuria
Hematuria is an uncommon symptom of prostate cancer. But what exactly is it? Learn the definition here.
Viruses and Prostate Cancer
Recently, there has been a great deal of attention paid to the link between viruses and prostate cancer. So what do we really know about this link? Can viruses raise your risk of prostate cancer?
DRE (Digital Rectal Exam)
DRE (Digital Rectal Examination) - Definition of DRE (Digital Rectal Examination)
Definition of Lymphadenopathy
Lymphadenopathy - Definition of Lymphadenopathy. Learn the meaning of lymphadenopathy and why it matters in prostate cancer.
Metastasis
The spread of cancer cells to areas of the body distant from the original area of cancer.
Testosterone Definition
Testosterone is an important, naturally-occurring hormone. It is important to have a basic understanding of what it is and what it does.
Androgens Definition
Androgens are important, naturally-occurring hormones that have significant roles in normal health and in some important medical conditions as well.
Agent Orange Exposure
Exposure to Agent Orange, a chemical used extensively in the Vietnam War, has long been suspected of being tied to higher rates of prostate cancer. Is it true that men who were exposed to Agent Orange actually have higher rates of prostate cancer?
Environmental Exposures
A few medicinal or environmental exposures have been studied in detail as to their potential impact on developing prostate cancer. Research is ongoing with regards to all of the following exposures and some disagreement in the medical community exists as to the importance of each of these.
Malignant Definition
What does malignant mean? What is the definition of malignant?
Statins and Prostate Cancer
Recently, much has been made of the fact that statins, a class of cholesterol-lowering medications, may reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer. Is this true? What have studies shown about statins and the risk of developing prostate cancer?
Medical Oncologist
Medical Oncologist - Definition of Medical Oncologist
Who Should I Talk To?
How do you decide which treatment option for newly diagnosed prostate cancer is best for you? Making a decision about treatment could be one of the most important choices of your life. You
Prostate Bed Definition
Prostate Bed - Definition of Prostate Bed
Understanding Grief
When you or someone you love has been diagnosed with, has experienced a relapse from, or has passed away from prostate cancer, grief is a very common and normal response. Understanding your grief is one of the first steps to working through it.
Brachytherapy - Definition
Brachytherapy - Definition of Brachytherapy. Learn the meaning of brachytherapy for prostate cancer.
How Can I Decrease My Risk?
How Can I Decrease My Risk of Prostate Cancer
Understanding Clinical Trials
Clinical trials, sometimes known as clinical studies, are conducted in order to test new ways in which to prevent, diagnose, treat, or monitor prostate cancer. What should you know about clinical trials?
Detection Without Symptoms
Prostate cancer does not always have symptoms. How can prostate cancer be diagnosed without symptoms? What steps can be taken to diagnose prostate cancer when no symptoms are present?
Epidemiology.
Definition of Epidemiology.
Hematospermia Definition
Hematospermia can be due to a number of causes, some of which are more concerning than others. Learn the definition of hematospermia here.
Orchiectomy Definition
Find out more about what an orchiectomy is and why it might be important if you have prostate cancer.
Adjuvant Therapy
Definition of adjuvant therapy. Learn the meaning of adjuvant therapy and what it means for prostate cancer.
Prostate Cancer in the Family
Why does prostate cancer seem to run in the family? Is it due to your genes or heredity? Is it due to the health habits that family members tend to have in common? Is it do to both? Or neither?
Prostate Cancer Genetic Basis
Is there a genetic basis to prostate cancer? Do the genes you inherit dictate whether you have prostate cancer or not? What does your family's health history contribute to your chances of getting prostate cancer?
Incidence
Definition of incidence.
Definition of Anti-Oxidant
Antioxidant - Definition of Antioxidant
Palliative Treatment
Palliative Treatment - Definition of Palliative Treatment
About - Prostate Cancer Buyer's Guide
Find Guide reviews, top picks, and advice you can use before you buy.
Medical Specialists
Many physicians work with prostate cancer patients, but there are also many non-physician health professionals that you are likely to work while you are dealing with prostate cancer.
Neoadjuvant Therapy Definition
The definition of neoadjuvant therapy. Find out the meaning of neoadjuvant therapy.
Will I Be Radioactive?
Will I be radioactive after radiation therapy?
Prostate Cancer - FAQs
An index of FAQs for the Prostate Cancer guide site.
Explore Prostate Cancer
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