Prostate cancer is a serious disease in which the cells of this tissue undergo an alteration. The first symptoms of prostate cancer are usually related to problems in the lower region of the body, including difficulty urinating and ejaculating.

As a general rule, the prostate, a gland that only men possess, secretes part of the fluid that makes up the semen to the urethra. It is located below the bladder and in front of the rectum, the final part of the large intestine.

Thus, the cells begin to reproduce uncontrollably and can form small tumors or bulges as a result of that abnormal growth. This disease comes from a modified change in the genetic material or DNA of these microorganisms.

Although there is no specific cause for this disorder, several risk factors have been discovered that increase the risk of suffering the disorder. For example, exposure to radioactive materials or consumption of toxic substances (such as tobacco smoke). The physical condition of the patient also influences.

Also, this gland increases in size as the patient ages progressively. As this region performs a large number of cell divisions it is more likely to develop genetic mutations. This type of cancer is called adenocarcinoma.

When the patient shows any of the following symptoms, it is important to see the doctor since an early diagnosis can improve the possibilities of treatment.

Normally certain medical tests are performed in conjunction with the physical examination and family history check. For example, prostate biopsy and blood and urine tests may be performed.

Procedures are also performed such as radiography, gammagraphy , Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computed Tomography (TAC) of the area to locate tumors in the affected area.

First symptoms of prostate cancer

During the first stages of the pathology it is possible that the subject does not present any symptoms. However, as the development progresses, patients usually suffer from any of the following alterations:

• Problems in sexual function. Individuals are unable to achieve an erection, that is, they have an erectile dysfunction. On other occasions, the semen appears with difficulty (the individual suffers a strong pain in the ejaculation) and with the presence of blood.
• Urinary disorders, such as the presence of blood in the urine, pain or discomfort, or difficulty passing urine.
• Discomfort of variable intensity when the patient adopts certain positions. It usually occurs when performing actions that involve sitting or lying down. The pain felt by the patient is localized in certain body regions such as the hip, thorax and back.
• Compression of the lower area of ​​the spinal cord. This can produce a series of signs for this alteration. For example, numbness of the lower extremities and inability to control the bladder and large intestine.

Treatment

Finally, the corresponding medical team will study the possible treatments and perform them with the consent of the patient.

These guidelines will be carried out with the aim of alleviating the symptoms that the patient may present, slowing down and neutralizing the disease. The most common recommendations are the following:

• Surgical intervention. During surgery, the entire prostate and a small portion of tissue near the gland are removed. It is the method most used in the early stages of pathology. Extreme temperatures can also be applied to the altered cells in order to neutralize them or slow down their functions.
• Radiation therapy A small amount of radiation is applied on the affected areas in order to alter and destroy the cancer cells. Likewise, the patient can receive it both from the internal environment (internal radiotherapy) and from the external environment (external radiotherapy).
• Chemotherapy. Certain drugs with chemicals that attack cancer cells may be prescribed to the subjects.

If you suffer from some of the symptoms mentioned above it is recommended that you go to your medical team to perform an inspection and rule out prostate cancer.