Prostate cancer

Prostate cancer symptoms typically do not appear early in the disease. In many men, doctors first detect signs of prostate cancer during a routine check-up with your primary care provider.

More advanced prostate cancer symptoms may include:

• Blood in the urine or semen
• Difficulty getting or sustaining an erection (impotence)
• Frequent pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips or upper thighs
• Frequent urination (particularly at night)
• Interrupted flow of urine
• Pain or burning during urination
• Painful ejaculation

Many of these symptoms are also seen with noncancerous diseases or conditions, such as benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate gland) or prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate).

According to the American Cancer Society, the five-year survival rate for prostate cancer detected before it has spread to other parts of the body is nearly 100 percent. When it has spread to a nearby region, the survival rate is also nearly 100 percent. When prostate cancer spreads throughout the body, the survival rate drops to 30 percent.

You can lower your risk of cancer by taking steps to build a healthy lifestyle. Here are some ways you can lower your risk for this disease, as well as improve your overall basic health:

• Avoid using tobacco products. Tobacco has been tied to multiple cancers, and it is responsible for 90 percent of lung cancer deaths.
• Stay physically active. Your physical activity is related to risk for colon and breast cancer. Excess weight gained from inactivity increases the risk of multiple cancers.
• Limit alcohol consumption. It is important to be mindful of how much alcohol you drink. Alcohol intake, even in moderate amounts, can increase the risk for colon, breast, esophageal and oropharyngeal cancer.
• Learn about screenings. Your primary care doctor can recommend appropriate cancer screenings based on your age, personal risk and family history.

• Age. While prostate cancer can occur at any age, it is found mostly in men over age 50, and more than two-thirds of men diagnosed with the disease are over 65.
• Family history and genetics. A family history of prostate cancer may increase your risk, particularly if you have relatives who were younger than 60 when they were diagnosed. If your father or brother had prostate cancer, your risk is two to three times greater than if you had no family history of the disease.
• Race or ethnicity. African American men are more likely to develop prostate cancer than men of other races. The disease is less common among men of Asian or Hispanic/Latino descent than among those of European descent.
• Hormone levels. Research suggests that the development of prostate cancer is linked to higher levels of certain hormones, such as testosterone, the main male sex hormone. Testosterone is changed into dihydrotestosterone (DHT) by an enzyme in the body. DHT is important for normal prostate growth but can also cause the prostate to get bigger and may play a role in development of prostate cancer.

• For your first visit, you will be directed to the multidisciplinary clinic on the first floor of the Whitney-Hendrickson Building. Directions to the Whitney-Hendrickson Building.
• You can register at the front desk or registration area, where a Markey team member will help guide you through your appointment.
• Several parking options are available to patients of Markey Cancer Center.
• Please remember to bring your patient packet with the completed forms. These items will help your doctor learn more about your case and determine the best plan for your care.
• To meet our patient needs, UK HealthCare accepts many forms of insurance.

Clinical trials are research studies aimed at evaluating medical, surgical or behavioral interventions to determine if a new treatment is safe and effective.

At UK Markey Cancer Center, we are advancing cancer care and research to prevent, detect and treat one patient at a time. As a patient at Markey, you have a team of people looking at your individual case, applying the most recent cancer knowledge to give you the best chance of survival.

Markey has more open clinical trials than any other cancer center in the region, giving you access to some of the most advanced options available. Learn more about ongoing clinical trials for treating prostate cancer.