Prostate cancer symptoms: Do You Have Prostate Cancer Symptoms?

Prostate cancer symptoms

The prostate gland is located directly beneath the bladder and in front of the rectum. It's a small, walnut-sized structure that makes up part of a man's reproductive system. It wraps around the urethra, which is the tube that carries urine out of the body. And because of this it can cause various urinary problems. I suspect there may be a dietary connection to prostate cancer. I cured myself naturally of breast cancer and others have cured themselves of all types of cancer using a diet of living foods.

Prostate cancer is deadly, but because it is slow-growing it can be cured if it is caught early. Prostate cancer is characterized by 'grade' and 'stage'. Grade is given to indicate how quickly a cancer is growing - the higher the grade, the more likely it is that the cancer will grow and spread rapidly. The size and extent of the tumor will determine its stage. In most men, prostate cancer grows so slowly they men will never even know they have the condition.

Weak or an interrupted flow of urine and painful or burning urination can be symptoms to watch for. One of the most common symptoms is the inability to urinate and if you have this symptom you should get checked right away. The need to urinate frequently, especially at night is another common symptom.

If you find blood in the urine or semen and have frequent pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips, or upper thighs, these can be cancer symptoms. But having one or more cancer symptoms does not necessarily mean that you have prostate cancer. Additional symptoms that may be associated with cancer are bone pain or tenderness, and abdominal pain.

A urinalysis may indicate if there is blood in the urine, which may or may not be related to cancer. Another test usually used when prostate cancer symptoms are present is a digital rectal exam (DRE) performed by your doctor, proctologist or sometimes an oncologist. A prostate gland biopsy usually confirms the cancer diagnosis.

A chest x-ray may be done to see if there is a spread of cancer called metastasis. Keep in mind that many experts report that PSA tests are not reliable and they are looking for better ways to diagnose prostate cancer. Also urine or prostatic fluid cytology may reveal unusual cells.

Medications can have many side effects, including hot flashes and loss of sexual desire, so consider this carefully before you commit to taking any. Many men simply want the best treatment they can get but what's important is choosing the treatment that the best for you. What you can do now is begin to understand what exactly your treatment options are and what you are going to do first.

A new therapy is on the forefront that recruits the body's own immune system cells to destroy tumors that could become a new way to treat men with advanced prostate cancer that is if the FDA approves the highly individualized treatment. In patients whose health makes the risk of surgery unacceptably high, radiation therapy is often the chosen conventional alternative, but think it through whether or not you want to expose yourself to this. And anyone considering surgery should be aware of the benefits, risks and the extent of the procedure and how it will affect your daily life.

Be aware that many men these days choose natural treatment options and forgo any surgery, radiation or chemotherapy. Some drugs with numerous side effects are being used to treat advanced prostate cancer, blocking the production of testosterone, called chemical castration. It has the same result as surgical removal of the testes. Whether radiation is as good as removing the prostate gland is debatable and the decision about which to choose, if any, can be difficult. The body has memory for all radiation and surgery has numerous drawbacks.

If more chemotherapy is decided upon after the first round of chemotherapy, most men receive further doses on an outpatient basis at a clinic or physician's office. Prostate tumors require testosterone to grow. Reducing the testosterone level is used to prevent further growth and spread of the cancer. Medicines can be used to adjust the levels of testosterone, called hormonal manipulation, but consider this approach carefully.

Dietary tips - use flaxseed oil in a daily dark green salad. A good dietary, natural treatment approach is to avoid all acidic foods, which are inflammatory, that is, foods that are dead. Eat living plant foods. Drink plenty of pure filtered water, at least a quart a day.

Consider taking liquid cod liver oil or fish oil supplements every day. Buy lacinato kale and juice it in your juicer with some sweet carrots. For an easy fiber boost, mix in two tablespoons of ground up flaxseeds in raw applesauce, from two or three apples, made in a food processor. Grind the flaxseeds in an old cleaned-up coffee grinder.

Add a small handful of kale or spinach to your fruit smoothie and blend well. No one will ever know. Eat at least one, preferably two organic apples with the skin on every day. Put two tablespoons of coconut oil, the kind that is unbleached, unrefined and undeodorized, in your smoothies. Coconut oil is plant-based, not animal-based and is actually good for us.

Consider sites, like this one, just a starting point where you can begin to learn more about prostate cancer. Once diagnosed you may be want to join a support group whose members share their experiences and problems. But be careful because many may choose conventional treatment and if you choose natural treatment you may want to share information with others who are using the same approach. It's important to get as informed as possible and read all the newest books, ebooks and research available regarding both conventional and alternative natural approaches.