Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men, the second one after lung cancer. The evolution of prostate cancer is usually slow and occurs, in particular, among older men (approximately 6 out of 10 diagnoses belong to men aged 65 years or older). To understand what prostate cancer means, it is important to know more about prostate and its role in the body.
The prostate is a gland located below the bladder, in front of the rectum. It is the size of a nut, and its role is to support the reproductive activity, by secreting fluid components of the spermatic material, which facilitate the transport of sperm and, finally, fertilization of the egg.
Types of prostate cancer
It is important to know that 95% of prostate cancers are adenocarcinomas – a form of cancer that develops in the glands that secrete fluids inside and / or outside the body. In the case of the prostate, the cancer forms in the cells that produce the prostate fluid. The most common type of prostate cancer is carcinar adenoma, but there are other possible forms of cancer, such as:
- Ductal adenocarcinoma
- Squamous cell carcinoma
- Transitional cell carcinoma
- Small cell carcinoma
Neuroendocrine prostate cancer
This type of cancer is very rare and is characterized by affecting the neuroendocrine cells of the prostate. The neuroendocrine cells present in the prostate are epithelial in nature and are spread throughout the entire anatomical surface of the prostate.
Neuroendocrine prostate cancer can mean small cell carcinoma or neuroendocrine tumor. Small cell carcinoma is composed of small round cells, while the neuroendocrine tumor is an adenocarcinoma.
Symptoms of neuroendocrine prostate cancer
Symptoms of neuroendocrine prostate cancer occur in advanced stages of the disease and are, for the most part, the same as those of other types of prostate cancer, more precisely:
Constant urination of urination, often accompanied by pain or itching during urination and a weak or interrupted flow of urine;
Bleeding and / or ejaculation;
Chronic fatigue and pain in the hips, pelvis or back areas.
Regarding small cell carcinoma, a number of syndromes are associated with its manifestation, the main ones being:
- Cushing’s syndrome (hypercorticism);
- Hypercalcemia;
- Limbic encephalopathy.
Risk factors
Although there are no well-defined causes for neuroendocrine prostate cancer, the likelihood of developing it is exponentially increased if there is a history of prostate cancer in the family.
Other important risk factors are:
- Age – The risk of developing neuroendocrine prostate cancer increases with age.
- Weight gain – A body mass index greater than 30 kg / m2 increases the risk of prostate cancer by 10%.
Diagnosis and treatment
With aging, annual prostate control is very important for prevention or early diagnosis. Diagnosis of prostate cancer is performed by screening tests, such as prostate specific antigen (PSA) dosing in the blood.
Prostate cancer treatment is prescribed depending on the stage of the disease, the speed of tumor cell expansion, as well as the general health status of the patient. There are a number of standard methods of treating prostate cancer:
Surgical intervention, relevant in the early forms of the disease. There are several types of interventions, applicable depending on the type of prostate cancer and the level of spread of malignant cells, namely: radical prostatectomy, pelvic lymphadenectomy or transurethral resection.
Radiotherapy and hormone therapy, often used in tandem to reduce tumor size and stop the development of cancer cells.
Chemotherapy, in the case of neurendocrine prostate cancer – platinum salt therapy is a variant of effective chemotherapy. The most invasive form of treatment, chemotherapy, is used, in particular, in advanced forms of prostate cancer.
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