Prostate Cancer is common for men who are older than 65. Most cases are curable if found before the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.

is an abnormal growth of cells in a male’s prostate gland. The prostate sits just below the bladder and makes part of the fluid for semen. It is about the size of a walnut but grows with age.

Cancerous cells divide forming tumors that can encroach on healthy cells. Tumors usually start on the outer part of the gland and spread to the inside. If the tumor grows large it can interfere with the urinary tract.

Tumors inside the prostate are localized but if it spreads to other parts, it has metastasized. Usually the cancer spreads to the tissue around the gland first and then moves on to the lymph nodes or bones. The four stages of /tumors are:

1. the low grade tumor/cancer which is small and confined to the prostate gland;
2. tumors which vary in size but can be felt during a digital rectal exam and are confined to the prostate;
3. tumors/cancer that has spread beyond the prostate but may be limited to surrounding tissues and;
4. tumors/cancer that has spread to lymph nodes and distant locations throughout the body, such as bones and where a cure is unlikely.

Early stages of may have no symptoms at all, but there are signs that may indicate a problem and warrant a check-up such as:

• Frequent trips to urinate/difficulty in holding urine
• Awakening to urinate at night
• Difficulty starting to urinate
• Painful urination
• Sudden decrease in size/force of urinary stream
• Weak stream that stops and starts
• Blood in the semen or urine
• Pain during ejaculation
• In late stages, pain in the back, hips, thighs or shoulders
• Weight loss and fatigue

These symptoms can indicate the presence of other diseases. Men experiencing these symptoms should undergo a thorough work-up to determine the underlying cause of the symptoms.

At birth the male prostate weights approxiametly 1.5 grams. Throughout puberty the prostate grows to approxiametly 11 grams, then in the early 20’s the prostate grows to around 18 grams. In the early 50’s men may find that there is a new growth phase which continues until around age 70 where the prostate usually reaches around 31 grams! This phase of growth is what doctors call benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)

(BPH)The prostate gland is different than other organs in that it grows in size during several stages of a man’s life. Physicians refer to this condition as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Even though this condition in itslef is not cancer or cancer causing, it is however an alarm factor that must be considered in .. This enlargement is part of the normal maturation process in all males. It first occurs during puberty and again around the age of 25. Growing through the remainder of life and usually causing significant complications at the age of 40, some 90% of all men in their sixties and seventies complain of prostate issues. BPH is often a condition of concern for most men, as its symptoms can often mimic those found in .

Prostate Cancer Risk Factors

All men are at risk for developing prostate cancer. One of six men will be diagnosed with during his lifetime. Approximately, 80 percent of men who reach age 80 have prostate cancer. Risk factors include:

Age: The greatest risk factor for prostate cancer is age. This risk increases significantly after the age of 50. About two-thirds of all s are diagnosed in men age 65 and older. It has been widely documented that as a man ages the relative levels of the testosterone and estrogen change, with estrogen levels increasing in relation to testosterone. There is mounting evidence to suggest that the increase in relative estrogen promotes cellular growth in the prostate, more specifically when in the presence of elevated DHT levels.

Family history: This is a risk factor for men whose relatives have had . Having a father or brother with the disease more than doubles your risk. Screening for should be started at age 40 for men with family history of the disease.

Race: occurs about 60% more often in African American men than in white American men is more likely to be advanced when diagnosed. However, Japanese and African males living in their native countries have a low incidence of . Rates for these groups increase sharply when they immigrate to the U.S. African Americans are the second group of men for whom testing should begin at age 40. To date, the reasons for these racial differences are not understood.

Lifestyle: Several studies have found a clear association between the western lifestyle and an increased risk of . A high intake of fat, meat and dairy products has been found to be particularly detrimental. Consuming fried or charcoal-grilled red meat has been clearly associated with increased risk. A high intake of alpha-linolenic acid and calcium from dairy products has both been associated with higher risk. A Swedish study found that men who consumed 600 mg/day of calcium from dairy products had a 32% greater risk than those consuming 150 mg/day or less. Smoking, the degree of physical activity, and alcohol consumption have actually not been associated with an increased risk and neither has vasectomy. Regarless of these findings, these lifestyle choices do play a part in over-all health and your well being. There may be an environmental connection related to high-fat diets, less exposure to the sun, exposure to heavy metals such as cadmium, infectious agents, or smoking.

Diet: Research also suggests high dietary fat may be a contributing factor . The disease is much more common in countries where meat and dairy products are dietary staples, compared to countries where the basic diet consists of rice, soybean products, and vegetables. Eating a diet high in the antioxidant lycopene (found in high levels in some fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes, pink grapefruit, and watermelon) may lower your risk of developing prostate cancer according to several studies.

DHT: There is increasing evidence suggesting that the growth in the prostate requires conversion of testosterone into DHT (dihydrotestosterone), along with the presence of the 5-alpha reductase enzyme which synthesizes testosterone into DHT. When DHT binds to the prostate cells it can trigger the release of growth factors that cause the prostate to grow.

Sedentary lifestyle: You may be able to reduce your risk for by getting regular exercise and maintaining your optimal weight

Protection and prevention is the first and foremost smartest step to take against . For some, this is not the case and action must be taken to eliminate the factors involved in the proliferation and support of .

After following the protocol of the System of Cancer Factors step 1 and 2, you will need to support and protect a positive hormone balance, increase circulation within the proste tissue, provide increased antioxidants, and inhibit further inflammation within the Prostate.

The System of Cancer Factors addresses all the factors of . Please take the time right now to learn and understand how the System of Cancer Factors works. How it works