New prostate cancer treatmentNew prostate cancer treatment

The prostate is a small gland about the size of a walnut found only in men. It sits just below the bladder and surrounds the top part of the urethra (the tube that takes urine from the bladder to the penis). The prostate produces seminal fluid (that makes up semen). The growth and development of the prostate depends on the male sex hormone, testosterone produced by the testis. It is common for the prostate to get larger as men grow older.

This is called benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). This is not cancer even though the symptoms can be similar to those of prostate cancer. Cancer is a disease of the body’s cells. When these cells act in an abnormal way, they grow into a lump called cancer. A malignant tumor is made up of cancer cells that can invade and destroy surrounding tissue.

When these cells break away from the original (primary) cancer and spread to other organs they form a new tumors called a secondary cancer or metastasis. Prostate cancer is malignant tumors of the prostate gland. Early prostate cancers (also known as localized prostate cancers) are contained within the prostate.

These early cancers often do not produce symptoms and may not become advanced cancer. Such cancers may not need treatment. However some prostate cancers grow and spread to the tissues around the prostate. This is called invasive prostate cancer. There is a group of lymph nodes near the prostate which are parts of the lymphatic system.

This is one of your body’s natural defenses against infection. Lymph nodes remove bacteria and other harmful agents. The major lymph nodes in your abdomen, pelvis, groin neck and armpit are connected via the blood to other parts of the body, such as the bones and lungs. Most types of cancer spread in this way, but treatment can often stop this happening.

The exact cause is unknown. However, the chance of getting prostate cancer increases:

• As you get older – more than half of all new cases are found in men over the age of 70
• If you have a father or brother who has prostate cancer at an early age. The risk becomes higher if more than one relative is affected.

Prostate cancer occurs mainly in men aged over 65 years. It is less common in men under 55. There are approximately check figure men diagnosed with prostate cancer in Malaysia every year.

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