Early Symptoms Prostate Cancer: The Debate on Whether Diagnostic Testing Is Advisable at This Stage

Early symptoms prostate cancer is very rare. If the condition is at its earliest stage, chances are, there wouldn't be any sign at all. In majority of early stage cases, cancer in the prostate is often diagnosed accidentally either by prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood test or a digital rectal examination (DRE) which could be part of a routine checkup. Because of the increased attention given to the disease, most men, especially those who are aged 45 and above, often go for routine tests to make sure that their prostate glands are in good health.

The use of tests to evaluate early symptoms prostate cancer became more common during the 1990s. Statistics have shown that death rates due to cancer of the prostate have declined following the increased use of these diagnostic methods. Despite their apparent usefulness, the scientific community has been divided on whether it is advisable for men to undergo such tests even with the absence of symptoms.

PSA and DRE methods have potential problems attached to them. For one, these screening techniques are not 100 percent accurate. A person's PSA level can become irregular due to reasons other than cancer. Medications and other health factors might cause this, which in turn could result to faulty evaluation. The DRE, primarily used to detect irregularities in the shape, texture and size of the prostate, might also be misinterpreted since the irregularities might be caused by other prostate conditions.

Several medical societies have advised against the use of routine testing during the early stages since inconclusive results might lead to anxiety or confusion. If the results are normal, a patient might get a false sense of security that could lead to neglect or eliminate caution all together. Furthermore, a man who gets a positive result from a PSA or DRE test might opt to get a biopsy despite the minor risks and discomfort associated with the process.

Some experts are recommending that routine examinations be offered to patients only if they are aged 50 and above. Except for men who belong to high risk groups, routine prostate cancer testing is not recommended to men who are below the age of 50. For high risk individuals, like those who have first degree relatives with prostate cancer, testing should be done as early as at age 45. Yearly monitoring is also recommended to these individuals since their chances of having the condition are higher than the ordinary man.

Before deciding on whether to get a PSA or a DRE test to confirm early symptoms prostate cancer, factors such as age and health should be considered. If a man is young and is genetically predisposed, then early tests are recommended since he would have a better chance of treating the disease if it is caught early. If a patient is old and in poor health, then he needs to discuss his options first with his physician. There might not be any need for tests since prostate cancer is a slow developing condition. It might not become a problem and the person might even die of other causes before it can even impact his life.

Mensglands.com provides you with info on early symptoms prostate cancer, its treatments and symptoms and how to overcome or reduce the risk of getting it. http://www.mensglands.com/

Ginseng As A Treatment For Prostate Cancer - How To Research The Medical Literature

Many people today are interested in the use of herbs such as ginseng in the treatment of prostate cancer. People are certainly interested in whether or not the benefit of ginseng has been studied scientifically.

Before we describe the scientific and medical literature on the use of Ginseng for the treatment of prostate cancer, here is a brief description of the different types of ginseng.

Ginseng is a herbal remedy that has been used in Asia as a medicinal remedy for a long time. It's commonly used as a herbal preparation in traditional Chinese medicine. There are many types of ginseng freely available on the market today. However, there are really only 2 types of real ginseng:

1. Asian Ginseng (Panax Ginseng): and
2. North American Ginseng (Panax Quinquefolius).

Both types of ginseng differ in their chemical composition. This different chemical composition appears to give each type of ginseng different biological properties.

How To Research The Medical Literature And Find Abstracts And Free Full Text Articles On Ginseng As A Treatment For Prostate Cancer

To research the scientific literature and find medical articles written about the use of ginseng for the treatment of prostate cancer, you first need to go the online medical database of the National Library Of Medicine.

This site is called Pub Med and can be found at www.pubmed.com

The home page has a search box. In the search box type in -- Ginseng AND prostate cancer. Then click search. Notice that the search won't work if you type in ginseng as a treatment for prostate cancer.

As of August, 2006 a total of 6 medical articles have been written which turned up in our search. You can read the abstracts for free online. In addition, one of the articles is available as a free full text article on the subject of ginseng as a treatment for prostate cancer.

To tell if a free full text article is available, look to see if there are green lines in the file box to the left of the article title.

If there are only black lines then that means that only the abstract is available. This still can provide some valuable information on our subject of ginseng in the treatment of prostate cancer. You can read the abstract and, if you decide that you want to read the full text of the article for free, make a note of the journal title and the volume.

You can then go the closest medical library, find the actual medical journal, and read the full text of the article for free.

Dr. Glenn Sheiner is a medical doctor and the author of the ebook and video tutorials Cancer Research Online Made Easy. This downloadable package is available immediately and will help you find information you won't find on most cancer web sites. You'll quickly learn many sophisticated research techniques including how to find the latest medical articles on any type of cancer from around the world. And, how to find all the available clinical trials, including those from the world's most reknowned medical centers. Also, more information on prostate cancer can be found at Prostate Cancer Information.

The Best Prostate Cancer Treatment for Each Type of Patient

Whether a therapeutic technique is the best prostate cancer treatment for a patient depends on various factors. In selecting the treatment, a patient and his doctor should take into consideration the patient's age and expected life span, the stage and grade of the cancer, possible side effects and other health problems that the patient might have.

One of the best prostate cancer treatment techniques, particularly for older men and those who suffer from other serious illnesses, is the expectant management or watchful waiting method. Watchful waiting involves the close monitoring of the cancer through prostate specific antigen testing. It does not involve active treatments like surgery and radiation therapy and is recommended mostly to those who have no symptoms. It is also used when the cancer is contained within one area of the prostate gland and is expected to grow very slowly.

Another option available to prostate cancer patients is surgery. This can be radical retropubic prostatectomy, radical perineal prostatectomy, laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) or transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). In retropubic prostatectomy, the surgeon makes an incision in the lower abdomen to remove the prostate gland. Lymph nodes around the prostate might also be removed depending on whether the cancer has spread to these parts. In perineal prostatectomy, the incision is made in the perineum or the skin between anus and scrotum. This procedure is use less often because the lymph nodes cannot be removed and there is a high probability that the nerves will be affected.

LRP, on the other hand, involves the use of several smaller incisions and specialized instruments. This highly complex procedure is known for its high precision and control. In the hands of experienced surgeons, it becomes an advantageous option compared with retropubic and perineal prostatectomy. TURP, meanwhile, makes use of an instrument called a resectoscope which is passed through the end of the penis into the urethra at the level of the prostate. The electricity that passes through the instrument cuts or vaporizes the issue in the prostate. TURP is done to relieve symptoms and is also used for benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Radiation therapy is the method in which high-energy rays or particles are used to kill cancer cells. This, like surgical procedures, is another example of a highly developed method of dealing with cancer. Radiation therapy is classified into two main types, the external beam radiation therapy (ERBT) and brachytherapy.

In treating localized prostate cancer, a procedure called crysosurgery is sometimes used. It involves the freezing of the tissues using very cold gases. Aside from cryosurgery, hormone therapy and chemotherapy are also options that prostate cancer patients can explore. Hormone therapy does not cure cancer but is primarily used to lower levels of male hormones in a patient's body. Chemotherapy, meanwhile, is a procedure more commonly used in cases when the cancer has spread beyond the prostate gland.

Choosing the best prostate cancer treatment depends on a lot of factors. What is considered appropriate for one patient might not be good for another, that's why options should be discussed in detail with doctors before proceeding to the treatment stage.

Mensglands.com provides you with info on best prostate cancer treatment, its treatments and symptoms and how to overcome or reduce the risk of getting it. http://www.mensglands.com/

Enlarged Prostate Symptoms: How to Tell When a Man Has BPH

Enlarged prostate symptoms rarely manifest before the age of 40. For some men, symptoms might not even occur at all. However, the condition called BPH or enlarged prostate affects almost 90 percent of men in their seventies and eighties, while more than 50 percent of men who reach their sixties experience symptoms.

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) or Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy is a condition characterized by the enlargement of the prostate gland; a common occurrence since it is quite normal for men's prostates to enlarge as they age. The growth of the prostate has two main phases; the first is during puberty, when the size of the gland doubles; and the second is at around age 25, when the gland starts growing again. The second growth phase often results in BPH years later. Some of the more common enlarged prostate symptoms include weak stream of urine, difficulty in starting urination, dribbling and leaking of urine, a strong and sudden desire to urinate especially at night, a feeling of not emptying the bladder, and in some cases, blood in the urine.

As a man's prostate enlarges, the layer of tissue surrounding it prevents the gland from expanding which causes the gland to press against the urethra. The bladder wall becomes thicker and irritable resulting in contraction which causes frequent urination. Eventually, the bladder becomes weaker and might not be able to empty itself which could result in urine being trapped in the bladder. The narrowing of the urethra and the inability of the bladder to fully empty itself cause many of the problems associated with enlarged prostate.

The cause of enlarged prostate has yet to be fully understood. Since BPH occurs in older men and does not develop in those whose testes were removed during puberty, researchers believe that factors related to aging and the testes contribute to the development of the condition. Some studies have also theorized that BPH occurs because the amount of testosterone (male hormone) in the blood decreases as a man ages, leaving a higher proportion of estrogen (female hormone) which results in the increased activity of substances associated with cell growth.

Majority of BPH symptoms stem from urethral obstruction and gradual loss of bladder function. The extent by which a man's prostate has grown does not always determine how severe the condition is. Some men with greatly enlarged prostate experience little problems and manifest few symptoms, while others whose prostates are less enlarged may have severe obstruction, more blockage and experience more discomfort or pain.

Despite similarities between prostate cancer and enlarged prostate symptoms, having the latter does not mean that chances of getting the former are increased. Researchers have not found any direct connection between BPH and prostate cancer, but it is still highly imperative that men over the age of 40, whether they have or do not have enlarged prostates, undergo a rectal exam to screen for prostate cancer.

Mensglands.com provides you with info on enlarged prostate symptoms, its treatments and symptoms and how to overcome or reduce the risk of getting it. http://www.mensglands.com/

Prostate Cancer Treatment

Prostate cancer is a complex heterogeneous disease that acts differently in different men. Therefore, treatment varies amongst individuals. A wide array of treatments exists for prostate cancer, which includes surgery, radiation, hormone deprivation therapy, chemotherapy, dietary changes and the use of various herbal supplements.

A patient may undergo hormonal therapy to reduce the level of testosterone in the body. Drugs that reduce testosterone production by the testicles like Luteinizing Hormone-Releasing Hormone (LH-RH) agonists are administered. The effect is not immediate and occurs 2-4 weeks after initiation of the therapy. Orchiectomy or castration is a surgical procedure that completely removes the testicles. It produces an immediate and permanent reduction in testosterone. Another alternative hormonal treatment is the use of hormone-blocking drugs, called antiandrogens. Antiandrogens like flutamide and nilutamide block the body?s ability to use androgens, such as testosterone.

Surgeons may use different techniques to remove the prostate. Surgical removal of the entire prostate gland is called radical prostatectomy. Radical prostatectomy is usually performed to remove early-stage prostate cancer that has not yet spread to other parts of the body. Side effects after radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer include incontinence and impotence. Cryosurgery, in which liquid nitrogen is used to freeze and kill prostate cancer cells is a common procedure. During cryosurgery, a warming catheter is inserted through the penis and this protects the urethra.

Radiation therapy involves the use of high-energy x-rays or subatomic particles to kill cancer cells. The rays may either be beamed from a machine or emitted by radioactive seeds implanted in the prostate.

Chemotherapy is also used to destroy cancer cells. Drugs are introduced into the body via the blood stream. The drugs work by destroying those cells that divide or grow rapidly. The most common side effects of chemotherapy are tiredness, nausea and hair loss.

Watchful waiting also known as ?observation? is an option that physicians may use. The patients receive no active treatment unless symptoms appear. They may be asked to schedule regular medical checkups and report any new symptoms to the doctor immediately.

According to the American Cancer Society, the five-year relative survival rate for patients where cancer is detected while still in the local and regional stage is almost 100%.

Prostate provides detailed information on Prostate, Prostate Cancer, Prostate Health, Prostate Cancer Treatment and more. Prostate is affiliated with Prostate Cancer Treatments.

Da Vinci Robot: Best Choice For Prostate Surgery?

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common non-skin cancer in men - about 30 percent of all cancers are prostate and 15 percent of men are likely to get it.

Radical prostatectomy has the highest cure rate for an organ-confined disease of all treatments although 10-20 percent have additional prostatic disease after pathologic evaluation.

Traditionally, surgery has been done ?open? (retropubic or perineal), but since 1997 the laparoscopic approach has gained acceptance. Around 2001, the robotic approach started to become idealized. By 2005, about 20 percent of radical prostatectomies were performed with the da Vinci? surgical system from Intuitive Surgical. Although the da Vinci robot was named after Leonardo da Vinci, who made the first robot, the term was coined by Capek in a Czech play in 1921. Technically, the da Vinci? Surgical System is not technically a robot, it?s a ?remote computer assisted tele-manipulator.?

Robotic prostate surgery has some advantages for the patient. During surgery, patients tend to lose less blood, require fewer transfusions (1-2 percent instead of 5-10) and have shorter catheterization times. The latter can mean less infection, less urinary extravasation and a faster return to continence for patients. Patients also suffer less post-op pain because of a shorter incision, which helps them resume normal activities more quickly (within 92 hours instead of 4 weeks) as well as a shorter hospital stays (1.2 days instead of 2.5).

Still, controversy exists about the advantages, disadvantages and cost-effectiveness of the robot. All approaches (open, laparoscopic or robotic) provide similar overall health and quality of life outcomes: positive margins (2-19 percent); Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) recurrence free survival (80-95 percent after 3 years); continence at one year (80-95 percent); potency at one year (55-85 percent); and overall complications (5-10 percent). They are also similar in cost, so doctors select one approach over another based upon the patient situation and achieve similar results.

About AllMed Healthcare Management
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Enlarged Prostate - The Cause Remains A Mystery

Each day a huge number of men (something in the region of 13,000 in the US alone) call to see their doctor with a variety of problems associated with urination and come away having been told that they are suffering from an enlarged prostate.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia, benign prostatic hypertrophy or BPH, to give it its proper medical names, is an extremely common and treatable problem seen in many men over the age of 65 and is suffered by as many as half of all men in their sixties and ninety percent of men in their seventies and eighties.

But what causes this condition which is a simple part of the natural aging process and is as common as your hair turning grey with age?

The simple answer is that, despite all the advances in modern medicine, we don't know. We do, however, have enough evidence to start to unravel the mystery.

Men are more likely to suffer from BPH if their father, or a brother, has suffered from an enlarged prostate. This suggests that there is, at least in part, a genetic component to the problem.

One theory here is that genetic instructions given to the cells of the prostate to control its growth during puberty are again activated in later life and either cause further growth in their own right or make the cells of the prostate more sensitive to hormones which promote growth.

We also know that men who have their testes removed at an early age (before puberty) do not suffer from BHP. There is therefore a link between the aging of the testes and the development of an enlarged prostate.

Although the exact role played by the testes is not clear we know that men produce both the male hormone testosterone and small quantities of the female hormone estrogen throughout life. With increasing age however the quantity of testosterone present in the blood decreases although the level of estrogen does not fall in the same proportion. The theory, supported to some extent by research carried out on animals, is that the higher proportion of estrogen present in the prostate promotes the activity of other hormones which are responsible for cell growth.

Although this theory has been around for some time now researchers have found it somewhat difficult to explain satisfactorily the link between the theory and the fact that the removal of the testes before puberty results in a failure to develop the problem of an enlarged prostate.

The final, and perhaps at present most credible, theory is that an enlarged prostate is caused by the presence of a hormone known as dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

We know that DHT plays a crucial role in the development of the sex organs during pregnancy and that it is also largely responsible for the development of facial hair, the deepening of the voice and the development of the prostate during puberty.

DHT is derived from testosterone and is found in the prostate where it is believed to play a role in the growth of the prostate gland. However, as testosterone levels drop with age the body's ability to produce DHT does not appear to diminish and indeed DHT accumulates in the prostate and continues to promote growth. It is also interesting to note that men who lose their ability to produce this hormone derived from testosterone do not develop enlarged prostate glands.

Although it may be some years yet before researchers uncover the exact cause of BPH. While it is almost certainly the result of hormonal changes resulting from the aging process, the precise nature of these changes and the effects which they trigger remain something of a mystery today.

For more information on the problem of an enlarged prostate and on prostate cancer please visit ProstateCancerExplained.com today.

Prostate Cancer - Are Men Their Own Worst Enemy?

The commonest form of cancer in the United States today is skin cancer but, to many people's surprise, prostate cancer is the second most frequently seen type of cancer and results in some 30,000 deaths each year. So just what is prostate cancer?

The human body starts its life as a single cell which divides repeatedly to form new cells. As cell division continues so the newly created cells, acting as the building blocks of the human body, form themselves into walls of tissue creating the various parts that we recognize as the human body. This is not however the end of the process as, throughout our lives, our bodies change constantly with old cells wearing out and dying and other newer cells continuing the process of division to replace them.

Occasionally however this process of division does not follow the pattern that it should and a cell divides incorrectly, forming two cells which do not carry the correct information to function normally. At the same time this frequently sets off a chain reaction so that these cells in turn begin to divide, forming further faulty cells.

This, in simple terms, is the basis of all cancers and, where faulty cell division takes place in the prostate gland, then the result is prostate cancer.

The prostate gland, which is about the size of a walnut, sits between the bladder and the rectum and partially surrounds the urethra (the tube which carries urine from the bladder) and its main function is to produce and store a clear fluid which makes up about thirty percent of male semen.

Although we tend to think of cancer whenever the prostate is mentioned, there are in fact numerous other problems that can affect the prostate gland, many of which can be quite easily treated.

Prostate cancer is rarely seen in men under the age of 40 and, although cases are seen between the ages of 40 and 65, the vast majority of prostate cancer cases arise in men over the age of 65.

In many cases however the progress of the disease is slow and early stage prostate cancer often carries few if any noticeable symptoms. For this reason many men can suffer from prostate cancer for years before it is diagnosed and the average age at which diagnosis is made in the United States is currently 70.

If caught in its early stages prostate cancer can be successfully treated either by surgery or radiation therapy (radiotherapy) and, while such treatment can often leave its mark in terms of ongoing problems with urination or a degradation or loss of sexual function, the cancer will often not return.

Problems arise however if prostate cancer is more advanced at the time of diagnosis and has already spread into neighboring tissue and bone, or has been carried to other parts of the body, usually through the lymphatic system. Here a combination of surgery, radiation therapy and possibly hormone therapy can certainly help in treating the problem but the cancer will often reappear.

Perhaps the biggest problem lies in the fact that, in terms of their general health and sexual health in particular, men have traditionally suffered in silence and will only venture into the doctor's surgery when they are at death's door.

This fortunately is starting to change in our modern society, even if only slowly, and as an increasing number of men turn to their doctor when they first suspect that something might be wrong, rather than waiting until they know something is wrong, then perhaps the early diagnosis of prostate cancer will result in fewer deaths each year from this treatable disease.

For more information on prostate cancer and prostate cancer treatment please visit ProstateCancerExplained.com today.

Curing Prostate Cancer Is Possible

Cancer is a result of many related diseases that begin in cells. Normally, cells grow and divide to produce more cells. New cells are needed to keep the body in good health by replacing died cells. Sometimes, new cells form when old cells do not die off when they should. These uncontrolled cells form a mass of tissue called a growth or tumor.

Not all tumors are cancerous; tumors can be benign or malignant.

Benign tumors are not cancer. Cells in benign tumors do not invade other parts of the body. They can often be removed without problems and, in most cases do not come back.

Malignant tumors are cancer. As they multiply without control or order, cancer cells in malignant tumors invade and destroy the nearby tissue. They can also break away from the malignant tumor and spread all the body trough the lymphatic system.

Prostate cancer occurs when cancer cells in malignant tumors invade prostate.

This cancer illness can be attacked by many working methods. Treatment for prostate cancer may vary according to the stage of the cancer. It may include surgical removal, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormonal manipulation, biological therapy.

There is no universal treatment that will work the same in individual cases. Depending on factors like type and location of the cancer, size of the tumor, whether the disease has spread, the patient's age and general health, the doctors may use one or, sometimes, a combination of the above methods.

Curing prostate cancer is possible, and the treatment is more effective if cancer is detected in the early stages. For early diagnose a routine tests are necessary to be performed yearly: an urine test, a digital rectum examination or PSA tests.

At the same time, when men experience difficulties while urinating, noticing a weak or intermittent flow of urine, they must go and ask a medical advice. Other symptoms for prostate health concerns include urgent needs to urinate, the need to wake up several times a night to do this or dribbling of urine after and even before urinating.

Valerian D is a freelance writer specialized in health issues affecting men like prostate cancer treatment

What is Prostate Cancer?

Prostate Cancer Forward

In the U.S. approximately 320,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer. Approximately 1 out of 10 men will develop prostate cancer in his life. One of the misconceptions about prostate cancer is that it?s an ?old man?s disease.? The truth is that prostate cancer runs prevalent in men in their forties and fifties. Prostate cancer can also be present for years without causing any symptoms and is often not detected until it is in an advanced stage. It can grow within the prostate at different locations, sometimes escaping collected tissue samples. Worse yet, if the cancer cells leave the prostate they can spread and infect other organ tissues in the body which is not detectable without surgery, and at that time it is usually spread too far to cure.

The treatments itself has its own psychological and physical implications and may be damaging to the reproductive and urinary organs leading to impotence or loss of bladder control. Some treatments involve removing the prostate gland and/or testicles causing an imbalance in the hormone level and can lead to a loss of interest in sex and a sense of self.

What is the Prostate?

The prostate is a sex gland in men that is located in the abdomen below the bladder at the base of the penis in front of the rectum. It is normally about the size of a golf ball and wraps completely around the urethra, or the tube that runs from the bladder through the penis. What it does is manufacture prostatic fluid, an alkaline fluid which regulates the acidity of semen and protects it from the acids in the reproductive tract of the female. It also acts as a pump during the male orgasm forcing semen in the urethra and doubles as a valve directing both urine and sperm. Not vital organ to live but quite a vital organ for ?normal? life.

So what is Cancer?

Cancer is a term that doesn?t describe a single disease but a group of diseases. These diseases do share one common trait though of uncontrolled cell growth and division. Cell growth and division are controlled by the DNA in each cell. Just about every cell in you body is in a continuous life and death cycle with new cells replacing the old (only exceptions is within the heart and brain) in a process called cellular replication. Normally, the cells in an adult generate just enough new cells to replace the old cells. Basically when a cell that behaves abnormally and ?cancerous? it doesn?t stop replicating itself, causing abnormal growth and tumors. Cancerous cells stop performing their original specialized functions and become parasites in the body, consuming energy normally reserved for the normal cells. Cancer spreads when these cancer cells break away from the tumor and enter the bloodstream or lymphatic system. These cells can lodge themselves in another part of the body and continue to replicate causing new tumor growth. Cancer is defined by the place of origination, so if it originates in the prostate, it is called prostate cancer. If it spreads to other areas it is called metastatic prostate cancer.

Prostate Cancer

Oddly though, prostate cancer is the one of the ?better? cancers to get. Cancers grow at different speeds and the time it takes for to double, or for the cells to increase by 100 percent. Prostate cancer is slow growing, taking years to replicate and double enough to cause symptoms. If it detected early enough it is treatable and there is an excellent chance it can be cured. Treatment techniques are also continually being refined to have less side effects and even if it has spread beyond curing, there are current therapies and drugs to extend life beyond five plus years.

For further information please visit the prostate cancer resource center.

Prostate Cancer as Number One Preventable Health Crisis

Can you believe that prostate cancer is the number one cancer-killer of males in the world? Can you also believe that there is no niversally-agreed upon strategy for its? diagnosis and management? There is a lot of talk these days about prostate cancer on the news, yet nobody can seem to figure out what is behind the whole thing. A recent article actually suggested that masturbation is the solution! Tired old references to the high incidence of prostate cancer in the clergy are cited. If you have ever surfed the Internet with your content filter turned off, you will have no doubt that the entire world is doing anything but holding back their seed in pursuit of spiritual ideals.

So what is behind these staggering numbers? Chinese medical theory would suggest that too much sexual activity is as bad as too little, and common sense in any culture points to the benefits of moderation with respect to any activity. Plant-based herbal remedies like saw palmetto and pumpkin seeds are purchased in large numbers, but the relief they offer is fleeting at best. Their temporary benefit, however, points back to a concept in Chinese medicine called ?excessive yang.? In western thought, we would say that something has ?overheated.?

Your prostate may indeed be suffering from a fever! How could this happen? The answer lies in a substance called DHT, or dihydrotestosterone. This is a by-product of testosterone metabolization, and perfectly natural. DHT is what allows you to produce erections and build muscles. Ironically, it also leads to an inflamed and enlarged prostate if it continues to accumulate in the prostate gland. Interestingly, DHT accumulation in the scalp is what accounts for hair loss. Incidentally, this explains why western drugs that promote hair growth also promote testicular shrinkage.

The truth is that DHT production has been on the rise over the last 30 years. The western world eats a tremendous amount of meat that is filled with hormonal back-wash that has been accumulating in livestock long before they are ever brought to the slaughterhouse. How else could we "grow" the animals so fast? Poetically, we also absorb this accumulation of hormones when we eat these "fast-track" animals. We also ingest sports supplements and energy boosters purchased at our local vitamin shop that are filled with hormone pre-cursors in order to deliver on their claims of more energy and enhanced sexual function.

This in itself may not be so bad for the prostate if all the excess DHT was actually burned up. Unfortunately for the prostate, it rarely is. This is where the problems begin. As time goes on, the prostate really has no options available to it other than to grow larger and harder. This brings on a flurry of problems such as premature ejaculation, urinary incontinence, and ultimately impotence. In this respect the medical establishment has resumed their usual course of inventing harmful surgeries, radioactive seed implants, and side-effect laden drugs. The bodies keep piling up and survivors are exactly that--often with permanent damage to their sexual organs as a result of their treatment at the hands of the medical establishment. In the end, a lot of it comes down to money: many chronic wasting diseases such as cancer and AIDS have simple, cheap cures but this doesn?t make anybody any money. Of course, I am aware that I will be branded a conspiracy theorist at best and an imbecile at worst for making such a statement. The common belief is that a cure for AIDS would be all over the news should it suddenly be discovered. People who subscribe to such notions also believe that AIDS "cocktails" are what is keeping industry poster-boy Earvin "Magic" Johnson from kicking the bucket prematurely.

The truth is that there are cheap and effective solutions for most of life's problems. Mind you, I don't think buying a pair of magnetic rings will make you an immortal, but I do think purchasing an electronic blood cleaner modeled after the one used by the medical industry itself (or is it the other way around) makes for sound experimentation.

Getting back to prostate problems, some people have gone back to traditional prostate massage methods, but the traditional methods are often messy or psychologically as discomforting as a routine prostate exam. Luckily, there are new herbal remedies being developed by individuals who use their own bodies as laboratories, and these same individuals are developing methods for massaging the prostate that are non-invasive.

With knowledge we are one step away from power, but it is the application of acquired knowledge is where the power really lies.

Plato Rosinke
www.prostatesecrets.com

http://www.prostatesecrets.com offers education and herbal supplements to fix prostate problems. If you've got a prostate problem, then we've got the solution.

Prostate Cancer, the Most Prevelant Non-Skin Cancer in the US

According to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, this type of cancer is the most prevalent non-skin cancer in the United States. A man is diagnosed with prostate cancer every three minutes, and one dies every seventeen minutes. It is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men second to lung cancer. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that over 70% of diagnosed prostate cancer cases occur in men over the age of 65. These two organizations, as well as others are working toward increasing public awareness and making screenings more readily available to all populations. Research

In order to catch prostate cancer in its early stages, it is recommended that men with no risk factors get an annual screening every year beginning at age 50. If there is a relative, such as a father or brother who has been diagnosed, then the recommended age to begin prostate screening is 45. In men with at an even higher risk, such as African American men and those with a higher familial incidence, routing screening should begin at age 40. For many men, it may be more embarrassing than uncomfortable to initiate and undergo a rectal examination or blood PSA test. Prostate cancer usually exhibits no symptoms and the only way it can be detected is through a rectal prostate exam or a blood PSA screening. The Prostate Cancer Foundation reports that if signs are present, they may be subtle and attributed to other causes, such as, painful or difficult urination, urinary frequency, painful ejaculation, difficulty obtaining an erection, blood in urine or semen, and pain or stiffness below the waist and above the knees.

There are different treatment regimens available for prostate cancer, such as hormonal treatment or chemotherapy, depending on to which stage the cancer has progressed, whether it is localized, recurrent, or metastatic. The physician may even recommend no treatment depending on the individual situation, and what the patient feels is best for him. A second or even third opinion should be sought regarding the diagnosis and proposed treatment plan, for peace of mind that whatever path chosen is the right one. Cancer can be very scary to many people, creating a great deal of stress. When newly diagnosed, patients may have difficulty expressing their thoughts and feelings to their physician as well as their loved ones, and they should be encouraged to seek spiritual and/or psychological counseling to help them accept the situation for what it is and deal with it in a healthy manner.

Tyson J Stevenson creates useful articles & reviews on a wide variety of everyday subjects. Expect to see his name often. View further samples of his work at HubbuH or at Prostate Cancer Symptom

Prostate Cancer Enting Prostate Cancer

 by: News Canada

(NC)-It is increasingly recognized that diet plays a role in prostate cancer, a disease that affects one in eight men. For optimal health, it's important to exercise regularly and eat according to Canada's Food Guide, which recommends lots of fruits and vegetables, many of which contain the antioxidant selenium.

"Antioxidants help neutralize the influence of free-radical oxygen molecules which can cause cell damage that can lead to prostate cancer," said John Blanchard, President of the Prostate Cancer Research Foundation of Canada. "Our bodies need a diet rich in vitamins and minerals to help prevent the disease."

Recent studies suggest that selenium and vitamin E may reduce a man's risk of developing prostate cancer. One study showed that the incidence of prostate cancer was markedly lower in those who supplemented their diets with selenium, while another found that the occurrence of prostate cancer and the risk of death from prostate cancer was significantly less in those who supplemented their diet with vitamin E.

Because of these positive findings, a large study called the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT) was recently launched to specifically determine whether selenium and vitamin E, individually and together, can help prevent prostate cancer.

Foods that contain selenium include seafood, meat, grains, and certain types of nuts. It is very difficult to get the recommended amount of vitamin E through diet alone, however it can be found in vegetable oil, nuts, whole grains and wheat germ. As it's not always easy to eat well, consider taking a daily multivitamin such as Centrum to ensure an adequate intake of selenium and vitamin E on a regular basis.

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