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Prostate Cancer: Will Affect 1 in 11 Australian Men By The Age of 75. Learn About The Signs, Best Treatment Options and Where You Can Go For SupportProstate Cancer: Will Affect 1 in 11 Australian Men By The Age of 75. Unfortunately, prostate disease is inevitable in ageing men. Statistics show that 30 percent of all Australian men over 50 suffer from an enlarged prostate. This natural condition, also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), is quickly becoming the number one complaint among ageing men. While BPH symptoms rarely occur before the age 40, according to the US National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) over half of all men in their 60s and an alarming 90 percent of all men in their 70s, experience symptoms of BPH. For most of these men, their enlarging prostate is non cancerous, but for those that are diagnosed with prostate cancer, it can be a very frightening and emotional experience. In younger men, the prostate gland is roughly the size of a walnut and weighs as much as a 20-cent coin. Sitting in front of the rectum and below the bladder, the prostate gland is an integral part of the male reproductive system. We known that as a man ages, the prostate gland naturally increases in size. Encased by an outer layer of tissue and divided into two separate lobes, the prostate gland wraps around the urethra, which controls the flow of urine from the bladder. When it expands therefore, it impedes normal urination or ejaculation. This can result in often painful and frequent urination, difficulty or an inability in severe cases to urinate, consistent waking during the night to urinate, dribbling after urination, decreased urine stream, painful ejaculation and blood in the urine. Often times, pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips and thighs is also associated with an enlarged prostate. For many men, this condition will also affect their sexual desire and ability to get an erection. The symptoms of prostate cancer are similar to those of BPH so it is very important if you experience any of the above symptoms to contact your health professional for advice. Most likely, your doctor will advise you that you have BPH or even prostatitis, an inflammatory condition of the prostate, but for those that are diagnosed with prostate cancer, it is always best to know sooner than later. Prostate cancer is the only one of three prostate disorders that can be life threatening. This condition is characterized by a significant number of prostate cells that begin to reproduce much faster than normal, causing inflammation and or a tumour. Unlike BPH or prostatitis however, these cancerous cells can eventually move beyond the prostate gland and into other organs and cells within the body. This can result in secondary tumours and is known as metastasis. If this occurs, treatment options are still available but a cure is highly unlikely, which is why early diagnosis is imperative. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among Australian men. Close to 11,200 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year. Of those, 2, 700 will die from the disease. The rate is higher for men living in Queensland where in 2003, 2579 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer. This translates to approximately 1 in 9 men who will develop prostate cancer in their lifetime. It is also known that 96 percent of deaths related to prostate cancer occur in men over 60. Overall, the incidence rate of prostate cancer has increased significantly since 1988, however the mortality rates have actually fallen by 22 percent since1994. As a whole, statistics show that the cases of prostate cancer are higher in the Southern Eastern Sydney and Illawarra, Greater Southern and Great Western Health Services areas. It is further shown the incidence of prostate cancer is lower in the Sydney South West and Hunter and New England Health Services areas. One study shows that the five-year survival rate of males in New South Wales between 1999 and 2003 was 88 percent. Today, researchers know that cancer cells already exist within the prostate glands of most men by the time they are 70. Further studies show that 40 percent of men over 70 have latent prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is a slow growing disease, which is why in the past, most cases weren’t diagnosed in men until they were over 70. These men usually died of other causes before succumbing to the prostate cancer, but today, men are living much longer. While this is good news for most men, for those with prostate cancer, this extra time allows the cancer cells to grow and metastasise. As well, men in their 40s are now developing prostate cancer. Whether this was always the situation and early screening is simply recognizing these cases, or the incidences of prostate cancer are truly rising, is not clear, but it is a much bigger problem than even 20 years ago. It is also known that when prostate cancer develops in younger men, it almost always tends to be more aggressive within a shorter period of time. The best-case scenario for any man diagnosed with prostate cancer is that it is localized to the prostate gland. If this is the case, a cure is possible. While statistics show that approximately 24 percent of Australian men diagnosed with prostate cancer will die from the disease, these number do not specify the number of disabilities and deaths that result from prostate cancer treatments. There is still much controversy surrounding prostate disease simply because there is no agreement among doctors as to what treatment, if any, is best. Physicians are advised by their governing bodies to simply relay the treatment options to their patients, but let the patient make decisions regarding their treatment of choice. There are many serious and irreversible side effects associated with each treatment. For this reason, you should do your research; talk to as many professionals as you can and if possible, ask for multidisciplinary treatment planning. Many of the larger teaching hospitals now offer this option. Under this method, your treatment will be considered by a panel of experts from various fields of medicine who will be able to offer you a variety of objective opinions on the various treatment options and how they relate to your specific situation. The Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA) is a wonderful resource. This highly respected organization is affiliated with the Cancer Society of Australia, which merged with the Australian Prostate Cancer Foundation (APCF) in 1999. PCFA offers objective and accurate information as well as many links to support groups, treatment options and resources available for men diagnosed with prostate cancer. Australia’s Department of Veterans’ Affairs is also a good resource and offers a broad view on the subject.
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