Dr. Uday Pawar

The prostate is a vital organ that located between the penis and the bladder. The prostate is involved in the release of the prostate fluid that keeps the sperm properly nourished. Prostate cancer, as the term indicates, is characterized by the abnormal and uncontrolled growth of cancerous cells in the prostate. Though the incidences of prostate cancer are low in India, necessary precautions and diagnostic steps should be carried out to prevent the condition from jeopardizing our lives.

Prostate screening includes two tests known as the Digital Rectal Exam (DRE) and Prostate-Specific Antigen test (PSA). PSA combined with DRE helps to identify prostate cancer at a very early stage. If any of the tests show an abnormality, a doctor might prescribe an ultrasound such as MRI Fusion or Prostate Biopsy to confirm the diagnosis.

• Immediate treatment may not be necessary
• For low-risk prostate cancer, doctors often recommend active surveillance that includes periodic blood tests, rectal exam, and biopsies.
• Active surveillance helps a doctor to continuously track the growth of cancer cells and the possibility of their spread to other areas of the body.
• Surveillance is fit for those who are already suffering from a serious condition or for those patients who are above the age of 60.
• A surgical procedure to remove prostate cancer
• Surgery is considered when the cancer has metastasized to surrounding tissue and the lymph nodes. There are two kinds of surgeries that a patient can go through- a Robot-Assisted surgery and a Retropubic surgery.
• Radical Prostatectomy might have risks involved. It is, therefore, wise to discuss the pros and cons of the surgery with the doctor well in advance.

Understanding the treatment options

• Radiation therapy: Radiation therapy involves the use of high-powered and high-frequency energy beams to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy is often used to shrink the size of the cancer cells. There could be two types of radiation therapy-Brachytherapy and External beam radiation. Radiation therapy too can have its side effects. Doctors prescribe several medicines during therapy.
• Hormone therapy: Hormone therapy helps to stop the production of a male hormone known as testosterone. This treatment option includes medication that completely stops the production of testosterone, the medications may also block the flow of testosterone on the cancer cells, and surgery to remove the testicles. Hormone therapy is used in advanced cancer stages.
• Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is a drug that goes into the body and kills rapidly growing and metastasizing cancer cells. It is administered through IV (intravenous), or orally as pill or both. This treatment option is employed when cancer spreads to a remote body location and does not respond to hormone therapy.
• Biological therapy: Biological therapy involves the usage of the body’s immune system to fight cancer. A type of biological therapy known as the sipuleucel-t is used to treat patients with advanced cancer stage and recurring cancer as well. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Avoid Prostatitis: Maintain a Healthy Prostate Through Exercise, Proper Diet and Supplements

Studies show that prostate health becomes a great concern with age, especially for men over the age of 60, yet they recommend that the issue be considered far in advance so that men can take precautionary measures as early as at the age of 35. While it is possible to reverse the damage, it is preferable to prevent prostate problems from ever happening in the first place. Furthermore, you need to be well informed of the grave potential side effects of the typical drugs prescribed for enlarged prostrate treatment.

Generally, the statistics for developing some form of enlarged prostrate are overwhelming, with about 50% of men over 70 requiring treatment. The medical term used for this prostate concern is prostatitis or benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). The word benign is used to refer to an enlarged prostate, as opposed to prostate cancer. There are numerous drugs available on the market to treat BPH, some of which have recently issued warning labels stating the risk of BPH turning into prostate cancer. In fact, some of the drugs used can increase the risk for cancer, or make the cancer more aggressive. Considering this disturbing prospect, doctors recommend preventative measures that involve exercises, consuming healthy prostate foods, and taking prostate supplements. Exercises, particularly those that involve the prostate, are highly recommended as you get older. In fact, doctors advise men to have sex on a regular basis, since it not only provides exercise for your prostate, but also prevents the re-absorption of sperm and other fluids, which can cause immunological issues. This may be a bit of challenge for older men, especially due to the absence of a sexual partner. However, it is recommended that older people have sex at least twice a week.

Proper diet can also impact your prostate health significantly. It is advisable to consume as much organic, raw food, as possible. Some healthy prostate foods include fruits and vegetables rich in lycopene, cartenoids and vitamins, like broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, and green tea. Proper diet also involves limiting the consumption of carbohydrates like grains, fructose, and sugar, to help you maintain optimal insulin levels and reduce your cancer risk. You should also avoid trans fat, pasteurized dairy products, and highly processed or charcoaled meats.

Besides the food options noted above that can enhance your overall prostate health, you also need various vitamins and supplements that have been proven to improve prostate health. These include Zinc, lycopene, pumpkin seed oil, Vitamin B-6, Nettle Root extract, Pygeum Africanum Bark Extract, and Saw Palmetto Berry Extract -all of which have been clinically proven to impede prostatitis.

Prostate Support from supplements can be a comprehensive and balanced mixture of the most popular nutrients and herbs that function collaboratively to provide support and assist in the relief of symptoms associated with prostatitis. The ingredients found in most prostate supplements offer unparalleled prostate protection. For instance, pygeum contains phytosterols that minimize inflammation in the prostate; Saw Palmetto relieves prostate enlargement by inhibiting the release of DHT (dihydrotestosterone) and preventing it from binding in the prostrate; zinc reduces prostate inflammation; and pumpkin seed oil treats micturition problems of BPH stages 1 and 2.