Cancer and Healthy

In an earlier article, I looked at what I thought were some of the more common questions that could be asked regarding prostate cancer. Here, I'll look at a few more. The idea behind this is to give men a starting point from where they can ask questions without feeling self-conscious. Prostate cancer can be a touchy subject. But it is better to know than not.

One main question that is asked is what, if any, screening procedures there are for early detection? A screening procedure is looking for things that may lead to prostate cancer before there are any symptoms. Screening procedures are not foolproof and there is research being done to come up with methods that are more foolproof that the ones currently used.

There are two that are in practice: the PSA test and the digital rectal examination. In the first case, what this procedure essentially is; is a blood test to determine the level of prostate specific antigen, a substance produced by the prostate gland.

The digital rectal examination involves the doctor feeling the prostate gland through the rectum with a gloved finger, looking for any lumpy areas.

Another question that can be asked is how effective the screening procedures are? Taken individually, the procedures outlined above are not foolproof. There is research being done to come up with methods that are more foolproof that the ones currently used. However, when used in tandem, they can provide a reasonably accurate results and is preferable to no testing at all.

One final question that is commonly asked is, how is prostate cancer diagnosed? The only way to conclusively diagnosis the presence of prostate cancer is through what is known as a prostate biopsy. In a prostate biopsy, the doctor extracts a small amount of prostate tissue and has it examined in a lab under a microscope.

These are just some questions that can and should be asked.