Contents:
- Medical Video: When its not Cancer: The Enlarged Prostate
- Know the dangers of prostate cancer if not treated
- Where can prostate cancer spread?
- What if the cancer does not develop or spread?
Medical Video: When its not Cancer: The Enlarged Prostate
If you suspect symptoms prostate cancer, it is important for you to visit a doctor to monitor your cancer growth. During monitoring, the doctor will monitor the progress of cancer through blood tests, digital rectal examination, and biopsy. However, if in the end there are no signs of cancer growth, does that mean you are free from the dangers of prostate cancer completely?
Some men choose not to treat prostate cancer for various reasons. For example because of fear of treatment procedures that will be undertaken. It could also be because you think this is not so serious and does not need further treatment. Well, you must know first what the dangers of prostate cancer if not treated by a doctor.
Know the dangers of prostate cancer if not treated
Certain types of cancer growth can indeed take place very slowly or take years. During that time, people who have cancer may not feel anything. New symptoms and signs can be felt and seen when prostate cancer enters the stage.
But if not treated, the danger of prostate cancer can spread to other tissues and organs, especially those that are located near the prostate. Enlarged prostate cancer will suppress the urethral tract so you may experience it complaints when urinating, urination is not smooth, and urine (urine) mixes with blood.
The danger of prostate cancer will be much easier to handle when it is still limited to the prostate organs. In this phase, the operating method and radiation (radiotherapy) will be very effective for treating and killing any cancer cells in the body. But if it's widespread, prostate cancer will be difficult to cure effectively.
Where can prostate cancer spread?
In the early stages, this cancer will spread to the closest tissues of the prostate. For example blood vessels, lymph channels, or nerves that are directly related to the prostate. When entering the blood vessels, prostate cancer cells will spread (metastasis) one of them into the bone, especially the lower spine, pelvis, and thigh bone.
Complaints caused according to the location of the spread of cancer cells. In the spine pain will arise, the lungs will arise chest pain, tightness, and cough that doesn't heal.
While in the liver pain will arise in the right upper abdomen accompanied by yellowing skin. More broadly, cancer can attack the bladder or rectum (rectum).
What if the cancer does not develop or spread?
In certain cases, prostate cancer does not develop or only grows very slowly. Interestingly, the best possible treatment for this type of prostate cancer is without treatment. People who have prostate cancer but cancer cells that do not grow will usually continue to be monitored by doctors and health workers without being given special cancer treatments such as radiotherapy or surgery.
One study reported by the New England Journal of Medicine compared the quality of life among men who did not undergo prostate cancer treatment and men who did prostatectomy or surgical removal of the prostate gland. The results showed that prostatectomy in the early stages of prostate cancer did not reduce mortality (risk of death) compared to patients who were only monitored without undergoing any treatment measures.
You may choose this method without treatment if you have low-risk prostate cancer and are still in the early stages, elderly men, or have chronic diseases such as diabetes or heart disease.
Even so, you can only decide this with the doctor who handles you. Of course that means after you have undergone a complete examination to detect the danger of prostate cancer that you may experience.
