Through extensive research, prostate cancer is being successfully treated, which continues decreasing the mortality rate for many men who suffer from it. Although prostate cancer symptoms do not appear in most cases at the initial phase of the disease, they become apparent during later stages of it. The prostate cancer symptoms that warrant an immediate visit to the specialist are difficulty urinating, pain during urination, frequent urination at night, blood in the urine, and erectile dysfunction. It is important for men who believe they may be suffering from prostate cancer symptoms to know that it is a very treatable form of cancer when prompt steps are taken to prevent the progression of the disease.

Although prostate cancer is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, evidence also shows that it grows slowly, and it mostly affects men who are older than 50. However, this should not exclude younger men from having a yearly physical examination because there have been few cases of prostate cancer in some of them. Luckily, prostate cancer is a slow growing type of cancer, but there are cases where more aggressive tumors are found. It is believed that the risk factors for prostate cancer have little to do with poor dietary factors and more linked to obesity, age, and family history of prostate cancer, especially for those who have a sibling with the disease. In addition to this, high blood pressure, lower levels of Vitamin D, sexually transmitted infections, and some medications appear to increase the risk for it.

When prostate cancer is diagnosed in an early stage, treatment decision will depend on the patient in conjunction with the specialists who will often recommend an active surveillance of the disease. An active surveillance usually consists in observing the growth of the tumor by having the patient undergo periodic physical examinations that include a biopsy. The main purpose for active surveillance is to avoid over treatment as well as the side effects of most chemotherapies. Since prostate cancer is not considered life threatening during the initial phases of the disease, treatment is usually administered when symptoms of prostate cancer appear to allow the patient live a better quality of life.

It is common for patients who have been diagnosed with any aggressive form of cancer to feel anxious about their condition and the prognosis of it. However, science continues making great progress in terms of treatment options for helping eradicate this disease for the last time. In the meantime, there are different treatment modalities that can be used to treat prostate cancer. For instance, surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy can be used to treat this disease alone or in combination depending on the general health of the person among other factors.