Prostate Cancer: Facts that May Save Your Life
If you are a man age 50 or older, then you are at risk for developing prostate cancer. Your age and gender alone can dramatically make you more susceptible to getting sick. Prostate cancer is not the type of sickness you want to be dealing with. It is a very scary, degenerative disease that attacks the male prostate gland, which is a small walnut-shaped seminal fluid producing gland located underneath the bladder. It is a class of cancer that commonly takes the lives of American men.
For those who fit the main risk factors, testing is medically advised to determine a proper diagnosis. Catching the cancer early increases the likelihood of it being more treatable. In many cases, early treatment and intervention become the only survival strategies left to save a life. Here are the most recently updated facts on prostate cancer in the United States for 2016:
What are my chances for getting prostate cancer?
— There are approximately 180, 890 new cases of prostate cancer each year.
Technically, all men run the risk of forming prostate cancer, but certain risk factors place some men at a higher probability than others. These risk factors have everything to do with attributes such as age, race, ethnicity, family history, diet and gender. As mentioned before, men older than 50 have far greater chances of developing prostate cancer than younger men. Actually, statistics show more than 60% of all prostate cancers are diagnosed in men older than 65. It has also been documented that African American men are twice as likely to die from prostate cancer than white men are. This is currently correlated to the fact that African American men have the highest rates of prostate cancer in the United States. Furthermore, the chances for developing the disease rapidly increases for men with several affected relatives, especially fathers or brothers.
What does a prostate cancer diagnosis mean?
After being clinically diagnosed with prostate cancer, the harsh reality is you are now dealing with the most common cancer and leading cause of cancer death in American men. Therefore, you would be wise to seek the medical advice and guidance of a doctor who specializes in prostate cancer treatment.
A prostate cancer diagnosis can also mean major life changes. Quality of life always changes for any man diagnosed with prostate cancer from the moment he hears the news. Whether he is a patient or a survivor does not matter because his life will still be transformed to some degree.
Aside from the understandable fear of death, the fear of potentially becoming incontinent or sexually dysfunctional is an infamous area of concern for most men facing prostate cancer. These are major quality of life issues that need to be discussed with you doctor to see where you stand. Other quality of life issues typically include worries about the cancer reoccurring, chronic pain, depression, changes in physical appearance, financial burdens, and so on.
Will I survive this, or will the prostate cancer kill me?
— Roughly 26,120 men will die from prostate cancer this year.
— There is an estimated 10-year relative survival rate for all stages combined: 98%
Prostate cancer is one of the most deadliest forms of cancer currently affecting men in the U.S., especially African American men. However, to say you definitely will survive or to say you definitely will not survive is too difficult to answer because there’s a lot involved. Yes, prostate cancer will take the lives of tens of thousands of men. And yes, the discussion centered around prostate cancer is not to be taken lightly because it is an extremely dangerous disease.
However, chances of survival vary greatly from person to person or case to case. Therefore, the forecast and likely outcome of an individual’s unique situation must be formally discussed with his or her doctor.
In terms of actually beating prostate cancer, it is highly important to understand your chances for survival increase with early detection. Therefore, you should be getting tested for prostate cancer on a regular basis. Consequently, there are still risks associated with getting screened for prostate cancer. Men should talk to their doctors about the risks, benefits, and a testing schedule that works for them. Overall, the outlook for prostate cancer is generally better for men in earlier stages of the disease. Schedule an appointment with SUA today to learn more about prostate cancer.