On Sunday, the office of former US President Joe Biden confirmed his diagnosis of an aggressive type of prostate cancer. At a time when doctors expressed their surprise at the delay in his diagnosis. What is prostate cancer? What are its symptoms?
“Last week, President Joe Biden underwent a medical examination to uncover the presence of a node in the prostate after suffering from increased urinary symptoms. On Friday, he diagnosed his prostate cancer, which is characterized by 9 degrees on the GMT (Group Five) with the spread of a malignant bone tumor.”
Doctors say they are shocked by the lack of cancer early, especially since Biden had recently reported urology problems, a well -known warning sign.
A small knot was discovered during the physical examination, and the cancer was later granted a Gleston 9 degree, a sign of an acute and fast -growing form of the disease.
“This is the only cancer for men who are trained in the medical community to pay attention to,” said Dr. Mark Siegel, chief medical analyst at Fox News.
He added that although Biden does not seem to have many risk factors, his age alone made him greatly vulnerable to infection.
Some commentators indicated that cancer may have evolved for some time, given its advanced condition.
What is prostate cancer?
The prostate, a male sexual gland produces white liquid mixed with the semen in the testes, located between the penis and the bladder. Prostate cancer occurs when the cells of this region grow out of control.
Prostate cancer is usually slow -evolving cancer, according to the British National Health Services Authority. The exact reasons for this cancer are unknown, but men over 50 years old are more likely to develop this condition, and it is believed that there are some genetic risks.
How doctors conduct a prostate cancer test?
Doctors can diagnose cancer by an examination of the BSA quality prostate antigen (PSA), which can help diagnose cancer in its early stages.
If the BSA level is higher than 10, the risk of prostate cancer is more than 50%, according to the American Cancer Society.
However, the high level of “BSA” can indicate a number of non -cancerous cases, and these tests are not used routinely in many countries.
Doctors may also conduct a magnetic resonance imaging of the prostate or biopsy to confirm the diagnosis.
Signs of prostate cancer that any man should not ignore
Since prostate cancer, like other types of cancer, is better treated in its early stages, experts advise all adult men to pay attention to changes that may be a sign of disease.
Given the prostate site – located below the bladder, wraps around the urethra – often causes urinary symptoms, and one of the most common signs of a prostate defect is to change the frequency of urination.
While the amount of urination may vary greatly – that is, between 4 and 10 times, it can be considered a natural matter – this noticeable increase indicates the need for men to realize it.
The sudden desire to urinate – as the need to rush to go to the bathroom – may be a sign of a problem, and this may be accompanied by difficulty in starting urination.
Also symptoms include stress or a long time to empty the bladder, poor urine flow from the normal rate, and a feeling not completely emptying the bladder.
The doctor should also be seen immediately when there is blood in the urine or semen.
These symptoms usually do not mean that a man has prostate cancer. Most of the time, it may be just a sign of benign problems in the prostate that affects more than half of men.
However, it must be examined by a general doctor, and if no reason is determined, it should be referred to an expert urologist.
The signs of advanced cancer that may have spread: pain in the bones and back, loss of appetite and unexpected loss of weight, exhaustion, and pain in the testes.
Prostate cancer treatment
In some cases, doctors may recommend removing prostate or undergoing radiotherapy, both of which cause a number of side effects, which may include erectile dysfunction and frequent urination problems.
In the case of Biden, due to the aggressive nature of cancer, in its fifth stage, and its already spread to the bones, its treatment options are limited. Although medical treatments, such as chemotherapy and hormonal therapy, none of them does not heal completely, according to doctors.
If the cancer is discovered early, and does not cause symptoms, doctors may suggest following an active monitoring approach.
Some cases of prostate cancer can be treated in the early stages, and the treatment includes surgically removing prostate and radiotherapy.
If the cancer spreads to other parts of the body and does not heal, the treatment focuses on prolonging age and relieving symptoms.
The advanced stages of prostate cancer, such as Biden Cancer, can significantly reduce a person’s average life and lead to symptoms that affect his daily life.