How to suspect metastases in prostate cancer?

What is the prostate gland. The prostate gland is one of the constituent parts of the male reproductive system. It is an internal organ related to the glands. She throws her secret into the blood and the environment. The secret of the prostate gland is a substance that is an integral component of the sperm. The organ has a close anatomical relationship to the components of the small pelvis.

What is prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer is a malignant type of tumor process in the tissue of the prostate gland. The exact cause of its occurrence is currently not known. There are many assumptions, including mutations in the cellular apparatus. As a result, there is an inadequate formation of normal cells and they acquire morphological and functional immaturity, and therefore are capable of uncontrolled growth.

In order for these processes to start, the influence of many factors, including the environment, is necessary. Among them, it is customary to distinguish the most dangerous: intake of carcinogens from food, work in harmful working conditions, bad habits. Do not forget about the burdened heredity in terms of the possible triggering of tumor growth. The process of cancer development can take a long time. It is revealed in men either completely by accident or during advanced stages, when complications may develop.

This process can occur in males at any age, but the most susceptible to this disease are age categories from 45 to 60 years. In many ways, this can be associated with the initial stages of disorders in the hormonal regulation system. In addition, Prostate cancer in men is combined with other relatively favorable pathologies. Among them, for example, prostate adenoma or prostatitis.

Many specialists may find it difficult to diagnose a malignant process due to the difficulties in detection methods. Currently, the diagnosis of prostate cancer is being put on stream. Due to the high incidence of pathology, screening methods for detecting prostate cancer have been developed. Among them, the most popular and at the same time relatively inexpensive method of determining the level of prostate specific antigen is most often used.

This method is performed by taking the patient's venous blood and then using special sera to determine the concentration. It should also be noted that the interpretation of the obtained values has its own peculiarities. This is due to its different concentration in each of the age categories. In young people, it does not represent high diagnostic accuracy, since this may be associated with high levels of hormones.

Symptoms

This type of malignant process is of great danger because of the possible difficulties in identifying symptoms. Men often turn to specialists when the process of tumor growth has become quite massive. Let's figure out why prostate carcinomas are predominantly manifested.

• Initially, in most cases, nonspecific symptoms arise, among them weakness, fatigue, difficulty in performing daily duties may appear. Subsequently, unmotivated weight loss, dizziness, and decreased appetite join. This is largely due to the concomitant state of anemia and the development of intoxication.
• The skin becomes pale. Gradually, the scleritis white membrane acquires a yellowish tint.
• Of the specific complaints inherent in the tumor process in the area of the prostate gland, the appearance of pain syndrome in the area of the pelvic organs should be highlighted. Discomfort in the groin area, a feeling of heaviness, mass formation, etc. In some cases, the pain syndrome becomes quite pronounced, which can disrupt the normal processes of a man's life.
• One of the most frequent complaints of a man's appeal to a specialist is a violation of the process of urination. In the initial stages, in the absence of concomitant problems from the prostate gland, there may be a decrease in urine separation. In some cases, the man is forced to experience an effort for the violent process of expelling the fluid. Tension of the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall is required. With further growth of the tumor, urinary disturbance will increase until complete cessation, when medical intervention is required in order to empty the bladder.
• Pain may appear during the act of urination. It will be quite pronounced at the stage of tumor growth into the bladder wall. In the separated urine, a man may notice an admixture of blood, it will have a bright red color. In some cases, clots appear, which sometimes pass through the urethra with difficulty. Resis are rare enough.
• When a tumor grows into the rectal cavity, you can notice a violation of the process of defecation. The man has a tendency to constipation and pain syndrome if he wants to empty the intestines. A similar symptom develops gradually, at the initial stages it will be only mild discomfort and a manifestation of periodic irregularity. The patient can still eliminate such a condition by correcting nutrition, but subsequently the condition is no longer corrected. In the separated feces, an admixture of scarlet blood may be noted. Sometimes bleeding appears from the anus, which becomes pronounced in the last stages.

Metastases

Cancer metastases can also appear in the bones of the lower extremities. As a result, there are no visual signs. For a long time, the limb does not look like any pathological formations. Pain can only appear. A man's gait may be impaired, at the initial stages it is lameness, weakness in the limb, impaired coordination. The nervous system in the leg area is also affected.

After neurological diagnostics, a decrease in sensitivity, both painful and sensitive, is revealed. Later it will be a violation of the blood supply to the tissues. Subsequently, a tumor-like formation can be detected, with the germination of the focus, the decomposition of the tumor tissue is noted. If prostate cancer is detected, metastases can spread with prostate cancer and hematogenous pathways.

Thus, foci can be detected in such organs as the liver, kidneys, lungs and others. But the most susceptible to metastatic lesions are the liver. This is manifested either by the absence of any symptoms, but if a large tumor metastasizes, then it may manifest itself as a violation of its functioning. In the later stages, this may be the development of signs of obstructive jaundice and liver failure.

Diagnostics

Diagnostics is not a big problem at this time. Initially, if a malignant process is suspected, the doctor needs to remember where the tumor metastasizes.

The only drawback is the long asymptomatic course or late treatment of the man. Ultrasound is of great diagnostic value in prostate cancer, especially at the initial stages of soft tissue metastasis. In case of damage to the skeletal system, X-ray examination is used to a lesser extent.

In most cases, it does not detect organ damage by metastases of a prostate cancer tumor. Currently, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging is more popular. It allows you to identify metastatic lesions at the earliest stages. Laboratory tests have little diagnostic value in determining prostate cancer. A biopsy can also be used to confirm the nature of the metastatic lesion. It is with the help of this method that the cellular composition of the tumor is revealed.

Treatment of metastatic lesions of the prostate

Applied using a variety of methods. For metastases in the extremity area, surgery or radiation therapy can be used. As much as possible, it is required to remove the area of the metastatic focus. In the area of the spinal column, surgical treatment is usually unpromising. Only radiation or chemotherapy can inhibit tumor growth.

Prevention

Currently, in order to exclude or prevent a malignant process in the prostate. Initially, this is a regular visit to a specialist, they include a therapist or urologist, as well as a doctor in the examination room, for the purpose of examining and screening for a malignant process.

For any complaints, additional diagnostic methods are required. You should also lead a healthy lifestyle, exclude inflammatory processes in the organ and control hormonal levels in the body.

In order to exclude metastatic lesions, a rapid onset of the detected malignant lesion is required, and when remission occurs, regular diagnostics are required.