Dose The diabetes medicine have side effects Prostate like prostate enlargment or any other disease of Prostate? I'm not sure what machine your talking about. A blood Glucose Monitor is the thing you check your Blood Sugar on and would not affect your prostate. It just checks your sugar level in the blood. An insulin pump giver you small amounts of insulin throughout the day instead of a shot that would give you a large amount all at once and also would not affect the prostate. Really without more info on what machine it will be hard for you to get any answer. The cause of prostate cancer is unknown, but the cancer is thought not to be related to benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). The risk (predisposing) factors for prostate cancer include advancing age, genetics (heredity), hormonal influences, and such environmental factors as toxins, chemicals, and industrial products. The chances of developing prostate cancer increase with age. Thus, prostate cancer under age 40 is extremely rare, while it is common in men older than 80 years of age. As a matter of fact, some studies have suggested that among men over 80, between 50 and 80% of them may have prostate cancer!
Genetics (heredity), as just mentioned, plays a role in the risk of developing a prostate cancer. For example, black American men have a higher risk of getting prostate cancer than do Japanese or white American men. Environment, diet, and other unknown factors, however, can modify such genetic predispositions. For example, prostate cancer is uncommon in Japanese men living in their native Japan. However, when these men move to the United States, their incidence of prostate cancer rises significantly. Prostate cancer is also more common among family members of individuals with prostate cancer. Thus, a person whose father, grandfather, or even uncle has prostate cancer is at an increased risk for also developing prostate cancer. To date, however, no specific prostate cancer gene has been identified and verified. (Genes, which are situated on chromosomes within the nucleus of cells, are the chemical compounds that determine specific traits in individuals.)
Testosterone, the male hormone, directly stimulates the growth of both normal prostate tissue and prostate cancer cells. Not surprisingly, therefore, this hormone is thought to be involved in the development and growth of prostate cancer. The important implication of the role of this hormone is that decreasing the level of testosterone should be (and usually is) effective in inhibiting the growth of prostate cancer.
Environmental factors, such as cigarette smoking and diets that are high in saturated fat, seem to increase the risk of prostate cancer. Additional substances or toxins in the environment or from industrial sources might also promote the development of prostate cancer, but these have not yet been clearly identified.
Can prostate cancer be prevented?
No specific measures are known to prevent the development of prostate cancer. At present, therefore, we can hope only to prevent progression of the cancer by making early diagnoses and then attempting to cure the disease. Early diagnoses can be made by screening men for prostate cancer. Screening is done, as mentioned previously, by routine yearly digital rectal examinations beginning at age 40 and the addition of an annual PSA test beginning at age 50. The purpose of the screening is to detect early, tiny, or even microscopic cancers that are confined to the prostate gland. Early treatment of these malignancies (cancers) can stop the growth, prevent the spread, and possibly cure the cancer.
Based on some research in animals and people, certain dietary measures have been suggested to prevent the progression of prostate cancer. For example, low fat diets, particularly avoiding red meats, have been suggested because they are thought to slow down the growth of prostate tumors in a manner not yet known. Soybean products, which work by decreasing the amount of testosterone circulating in the blood, also reportedly can inhibit the growth of prostate tumors. Finally, other studies show that tomato products (lycopenes), the mineral selenium, and vitamin E might slow the growth of prostate tumors in ways that are not yet understood.
What will be the future treatments for prostate cancer?
The treatment of organ-confined prostate cancer to date has involved cutting out, radiating, or freezing the gland in trying to cure the disease. In more advanced cases, the goal has been to control the cancer for at least some time by using hormonal treatment or chemotherapy. Earlier diagnosis and improved treatment techniques in recent years have certainly led to better results. In addition, other treatments are being sought. For example, microwave treatment of the prostate is being used for benign prostatic hypertrophy (enlargement of the prostate, BPH) in a minimally invasive (minimal cutting or probing), outpatient (outside the hospital) procedure. Studies may soon begin to evaluate this technique as a treatment for prostate cancer.
The key to curing prostate cancer, however, ultimately will come from an understanding of the genetic basis of this disease. Genes, which are chemical compounds located on the chromosomes, determine the characteristics of individuals. Accordingly, investigators at research centers have focused on identifying and isolating the gene or genes responsible for prostate cancer. For example, studies are being conducted in men who have a family history of prostate cancer to try to uncover the genetic links of the disease. The investigators ultimately will try to block or modify the offending genes so as to prevent or alter the disease. Finally, perhaps a vaccine to either prevent or treat prostate cancer will be developed in the future.
Prostate Cancer At A Glance
Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of deaths from cancer among US men.
While the causes of prostate cancer are still unknown, some risk factors for the disease, such as advancing age and a family history of prostate cancer, have been identified.
Prostate cancer is often initially suspected because of an abnormal PSA blood test or a hard nodule (lump) felt on the prostate gland during a routine digital (done with a finger) rectal examination.
The digital rectal examination (starting at age 40) and the PSA blood test (starting at age 50) should be done at yearly intervals to screen men for prostate cancer.
Refinements in the PSA test, including the PSA ratio, age-specific PSA, and PSA velocity or slope have improved the accuracy of the test.
If one of the screening tests is abnormal, the diagnosis of prostate cancer should be suspected and a biopsy of the prostate gland is usually done.
The diagnosis of prostate cancer is made when cancerous prostatic cells are identified in the biopsy tissue under a microscope.
In some men, prostate cancer is life threatening, while in many others, it can exist for many years without causing health problems.
The choice of treatment for prostate cancer depends on the size, aggressiveness, and extent or spread of the tumor, as well as on the age, general health, and preference of the patient.
The many options for treating prostate cancer include surgery, radiation therapy, hormonal treatment, cryotherapy, chemotherapy, combinations of some of these treatments, and watchful waiting.
Research is underway to identify the genes that cause prostate cancer. |
