When men shy away
from prostate cancer screening and treatment, the women in their lives often
help them face their fears and the facts
“Men are funny. A guy will come in
for an enlarged prostate issue and he’ll say everything is good, everything is
fine,” says Ali Kasraeian, M.D. “But his wife will give me this look, and say,
‘I don’t know what he’s talking about. He gets up 50 times a night. And when
he’s in the bathroom, it starts and stops, starts and stops.’ You often get a
lot more information from a woman,” explains Dr. Kasraeian, a urologist at
Kasraeian Urology in
Jacksonville
who performs laparoscopic robotic surgery on prostate cancer patients.
The
symptoms the wife described could be due to a benign enlarged prostate or
prostate cancer. So giving that information to a doctor sooner rather than
later can change a life. But too often, men simply ignore health problems.
Because prostate nutrition and health are linked
closely it only makes sense that if you are not eating a healthy diet your
general health level will also decline along with your prostate health. If you
have poor nutritional habits your chances of developing some form of prostate
problem are increased. The thing to remember is that the key to good prostate
health is eating a healthy diet.
Most men do not experience prostate problems, such as benign prostate
hyperplasia or prostate cancer, until they reach the age of 50. Does this mean
that you should wait until you are older before concerning yourself with the
health of your prostate? The answer to that question is a resounding no! The
earlier in life you take control of your health with diet and exercise the
better your chances of fending off not only prostate problems but a whole range
of other health problems as well.
Lymphoma is one of
the few types of cancer that can develop and grow in the body without an
individual knowing and it is only when the cancer spreads around the body to
other organs that obvious symptoms become apparent. There are a number of
symptoms that are commonly associated with lymphoma, such as swollen lymph
glands, chronic fatigue, fever, night sweats and unexplained weight loss;
however, all of these symptoms can and often are caused by much less serious
conditions such as a simple infection or the flu.
"You’ve got cancer.”Just the thought of hearing that phrase evokes fear in most of us.
For those receiving the diagnosis, the initial reaction is fear, followed by an intense desire to start treatment right away. But rushing to treatment, rather than getting a second or a third opinion, means patients often miss out on other treatments that might be newer or better for their cancer and lifestyle.
“After learning they have cancer, many patients are afraid to wait even a few days to start treatment for fear that any delay will prevent a cure. But studies have shown that taking a little time to learn about all of the available treatment options can give patients a better opportunity to make a well-informed choice,” said Dr. K. Kian Ang, a radiation oncologist at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.
What do you think about when you think of October? Haunted houses, costumes, orange and black, trick or treat – it’s Halloween! But for thousands diagnosed with breast cancer, October is breast cancer month and – the Power of Pink. This year alone 182,460 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 40,480 will die. Even men will be affected: this isn’t a disease that discriminates by sex - 990 men will develop breast cancer and 450 will die. During October, and all year long, the color pink should be on everyone’s mind as representing the need to find a cure for breast cancer, the silent killer.
Free Emergency Guide
