Before knowing about prostate cancer, it is important to know what prostate is. Men have a walnut-sized gland in the lower abdomen, which is called prostate gland. It is a part of the reproductive system of men. When the cells in this gland start growing uncontrollably, it is called cancer. Sometimes its symptoms are not even detected and it grows and spreads to other parts of the body.

Most cases of this disease are seen in people above the age of 50 years. However, it is important to note that prostate cancer can also affect younger men. According to the data available till September 2021, prostate cancer has become the second most common cancer among men in India. Let's take a look at the questions related to it and their answers.

Question: What is prostate cancer?

Answer: This is a type of cancer that occurs in the prostate gland of men. Prostate is a gland that produces sperm fluid, when its cells start growing uncontrollably and abnormally, it is called prostate cancer. The size of the prostate is equal to a walnut but it can grow with age and the chances of it becoming cancerous also increase with increasing age.

Question: Why does prostate cancer occur?

Answer: The biggest reason for prostate cancer is age. Increasing age increases the risk of this disease, most cases of this disease are seen after the age of 50. Apart from this, its risk also increases with high consumption of red meat and high-fat dairy products. One reason for this is also the consumption of alcohol and cigarettes. Some studies also link it to obesity.

Question: What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?

Answer: Symptoms like difficulty in urinating, frequent urination at night, waist and back pain can be signs of prostate cancer.

Question: How is prostate cancer detected?

Answer: There is no single test to detect prostate cancer. The main methods for this are given below.

• The prostate-specific antigen blood test measures the level of proteins made by the prostate.

• In a biopsy, a small piece of tissue is removed from the prostate and examined to detect cancer.

Question: How to prevent prostate cancer?

Answer: Being overweight or obese can increase the risk of prostate cancer. If you are overweight, you can try reducing calories and exercising more. Eat a low-fat diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables and grains. Exercise regularly and quit smoking and alcohol. Drink coffee, drinking 4-5 cups of coffee a day can reduce the risk of prostate cancer.

Question: How is prostate cancer treated?

Answer: There are many ways to treat prostate cancer, the most common treatment is surgery. In this, the prostate gland and surrounding tissue are removed. Apart from this, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, brachytherapy are also used. In radiotherapy, the tumor is destroyed through X-rays. In chemotherapy, medicines are used to kill cancer cells and in brachytherapy, the source of radiation is placed directly inside the body, near the tumor. If prostate cancer is identified in the beginning, then surgery is not required for its treatment.