Prostate Cancer - Causes, Stages and Prevention

Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer found in men. The prostate is a small walnut-sized gland situated in the lower abdominal region under the urinary bladder. This gland uses male hormones to elicit and maintain male sex characteristics and reproduction. Sometimes this functioning goes wrong and we can see abnormal cell growth in the prostate, and cancer develops.

Prostate Cancer Causes

There are no clear causes of prostate cancer. Like all the other cancerous growth, it could be caused due to many things like exposure to certain chemicals, radiation, family history or genetic factors.

Doctors suggest that prostate cancer begins with the development of abnormal cell growth in the gland. Whatever may be the instigating factor, it leads to mutations in these cells causing them to multiply and accumulate to form a tumor.

There are certain risk factors that raise your chances of having the disease. These include:

• older age
• a family history
• genetic changes
• ethnicities or race - Black men are at greater risk
• obesity
• dietary habits and lifestyle

PSA Test

High PSA levels or Prostate-Specific Antigen levels in the blood may be indicative of prostate cancer. The normal PSA levels in the blood are 4.0 ng/mL and lower. It is not a confirmative analysis and thus has to be backed with other tests and biopsy to confirm the diagnosis of cancer.

Prostate Cancer Stages

The results from the PSA test and Gleason score will help determine the stage of your cancer. The prostate cancer stages will indicate how advanced is your cancer. TMN staging system is another tool that’s used to stage your cancer based on:

• the size of the tumor
• the number of lymph nodes involved
• metastases of cancer to other sites

Prostate cancer stages range from 1 to 4; Stage 4 being the most advanced.

Prevention

Preventing cancer can be a challenging task; however, you can lower your risk with these tips.

• Choose a healthy diet full of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. The vitamins and minerals boost your health to the fullest.
• Avoid consumption of processed food and consume fresh foodstuffs.
• Stay at bay from food supplements. Instead opt for whole foods with abundant fiber, vitamins, and nutrients.
• Control your weight to wave off the risk of developing prostate cancer.
• Exercise well to maintain your weight and improve your mood throughout the week.