Prostate Cancer Death Rates

According to the American Cancer Society, the death rate for patients with prostate cancer is at an all-time low. This is great news for all men who have been diagnosed with this disease. But what has caused the death rate for prostate cancer patients to decline?

More than 200,000 new patients are diagnosed with prostate cancer worldwide each year. Prostate cancer affects approximately 190,000 new patients annually in the United States and around 30,000 patients die each year from prostate cancer.

Death Rate Decline Causes
The biggest reason for the decline in the death rate of prostate patients is the fact that more men are having annual exams performed by their physicians. This has enabled physicians to catch the disease in its earliest stages. The earlier the stage of cancer is detected, the better the treatment options and the better chance for a cure.

The survival rate increases for those who have the earlier stages of this type of cancer when treatment is received. If the cancer continues to progress, then the survival rate decreases. Because men are now receiving annual exams, more and more cases of cancer of the prostate are being detected in the earlier forms, which have now caused the death rate to decline.

Because of the many men who are now seeking the annual exam, more and more cases of this type of cancer has been diagnosed. The PSA blood test and the digital rectal exam have allowed physicians to diagnose patients who might have otherwise never been diagnosed with prostate cancer. The PSA blood test helps detect prostate problems even earlier than the digital rectal exam. However, some prostate cancer grows at such a slow pace that if left untreated, it may never affect the patient. So now, physicians are trying to determine how to better take these results and interpret the needed treatments.

Hormone treatments have been proven to slow down the progression or growth of prostate cancer, but until now, there has not been a link between hormone therapy and the fact that this approach saves lives. However, with the current death rate at an all-time recorded low (since 1950 for Caucasian men; since 1969 for African American men), studies now show that there is sufficient evidence that hormone therapy is an appropriate treatment for the cancer of the prostate.

More than 5,000 studies have been performed on the effectiveness of hormone therapy with the results being inconclusive; however, when all of that data is analyzed from all 5,000 studies as a group, there is sufficient evidence that supports the idea that hormone therapy does work. New studies are now being performed to determine whether hormone therapy in conjunction with other treatment options will be even more effective.

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Prostate Cancer Survival Rates, 10 Statistics You May Not Know

Before we begin quoting numbers and statistics we will tell you something you may, or not know already. We will briefly explain the how the survival rates are calculated. The survival rate is a 5 year study that refers to the patients who survive 5 years, or more, after the initial diagnosis. This is helps in determining the prognosis, or outlook of patients. Since the diagnosis and treatment started 5 years prior, to any diagnoses presented today, new cases would be expected to have a better prognosis, due to developments in treatment.

It develops in the male gland and can spread to other parts of the body particularly the lymph nodes and bones. It may cause difficulty in urination, pain, or erectile dysfunction along with any number of other symptoms that can occur later in the disease. Traditional treatments have been surgery, radiation, and proton.

1) Second only to lung cancer in cancer related death.
2) Until recently numbers in deaths due to this were rising. In 1932 17 in every 100,000 men died from this, in 1991 the figure had rose to 25 in 100,000. Reasons for these rises are speculative at best.
3) The second most common type of cancer in men, the first being skin cancer.
4) 1 in 35 will die from this cancer. It claims 10% of all cancer related deaths for men.
5) According to the American Cancer Society, almost 100% of patients survive 5 years, (99.9% white and 97.6% black men,) that rate is 91% at 10 years and 76% at 15 years. Keep in mind the above mentioned factor when considering survival rates.
6) The average age for related deaths from '98 to '02 was 80, with almost no deaths reported under the age of 44.
7) Stage of diagnosis is important. Survival rate is almost 100% for local or regional diagnosis, with that rate dropping to 33.3% for distant or metasized cancers.
8) There is a lifetime risk of over 17% for every male born today of receiving a prostate cancer diagnosis.
9) There are seldom any symptoms in the early stages. Diagnosis usually begins due to an elevated PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) count in a routine blood test.
10) Primary reasons for developing this type of cancer are still unclear. Although age, genetics, and diet are believed to be contributing factors.

The facts presented here are the same facts presented by the American Cancer Society, and eMedtv, and both references seem to point to the same conclusions. Early detection of this potentially deadly condition is imperative to increase the chances for survival. Meanwhile, ongoing research makes advances very day.

Jamie Vanderhorst has been covering Prostate Cancer for the last 10 years, working as a professional writer. One of Jamie's areas of knowledge is on Prostate Cancer survival rates.

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Prostate Cancer Alternative Treatment

Helping someone cope with the stress and anxiety that comes with a prognosis of prostate cancer can be hard. That's why there are some types of alternative prostate cancer treatment designed to help the patient learn to do activities that can help him cope.

There are a variety of therapies that can help with the coping mechanism including techniques of relaxation including muscle relaxation, movement therapies including art, music and dance, exercise, meditation and spirituality.

These approaches for prostate cancer alternative treatment are different than treatments from the doctor. The alternative treatment therapies work for many and have been highly recommended to be used before therapy/treatment starts from the doctor. Side effects of the doctor's treatment can also be helped by these alternative approaches

To understand this cancer and the diagnosis, one must know that the prostate gland is found only in men and is about the size of a walnut. It is located under the bladder and in front of the rectum. In the kidneys, urine passes to the bladder through the urethra, which passes through the middle of the prostate. When part of the prostate enlarges, it can infringe on the passage of urine.

If the condition is not cancerous, or benign, it is called BPH or benign prostatic hyperplasia. The other major condition is prostatitis, which is a positive diagnosis for this cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, it is the second leading killer of men, only behind lung cancer.

When determining whether or not a man has cancer, the doctor will check the patient performing a digital rectal exam. With a gloved finger, the doctor checks inside the rectum to feel for some type of hard nodule. The results of a prostate exam can be quite devastating.

Prostate cancer alternative treatment can also include watchful waiting. Once the prostate cancer diagnosis is made early, and a biopsy is done rather than an operation or external radiation, the patient is then tracked for progress. Another alternative prostate cancer treatment would be supported by a cancer support group or PAACT. PAACT brings people together that have the same condition and teach this cancer sufferers to have hope in the face of darkness.

Other elements of prostate cancer alternative treatment can also include changes to diet, nutritional supplements taken orally, hormonal balancing, intravenous vitamin and mineral drips, programs designed for exercising, exposure to sunlight, fresh air, detoxification, stress management training and other immune enhancing activities.

The Prostate Cancer Research Institute is a charitable institution that is intended to improve the quality of men's lives by supporting the research and disseminating information about prostate cancer fundraising. It also helps to create awareness and empowers patients, families and the medical community.

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