The number of prostate cancer cases that occur in the United States annually is in the hundreds of thousands. The yearly mortality rate for this condition is almost ten percent of the total number of cases diagnosed within the same time frame. Early detection and treatment of this type of cancer can have a positive impact on a patient’s outcome, influencing whether or not they become a survivor.
Prostate Cancer Diagnosis and Mortality Statistics
Of non-skin related malignancies in men, prostate cancer is the most common. In 2014 alone, almost 233,000 new cases of this condition were diagnosed in the United States. Every year, approximately 30,000 lives are claimed by this type of cancer. At such a high rate of occurrence, almost everyone in the U.S. knows at least one person whose life has been affected by this serious health issue.
Overview: How Prostate Cancer is Diagnosed
The prostate is a gland located inside the body between a man’s bladder and the urethra in the penis. This gland can sometimes become malignant. When it does, higher levels of an antigen released from the prostate may be found in the patient’s blood. For this reason, malignancy in this part of the body can be detected through a blood test called a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test. There are a few other conditions that can cause increases in PSA, such as inflammation or infection. A biopsy may be performed in order to confirm or rule out prostate cancer in the event that a PSA test detects high levels of the antigen.
Care and Treatment
For those in the medical community who focus on men’s health, special attention is focused on prostate cancer, often for the sake of educating, diagnosing or treating patients. In order to ensure they receive the best specialized treatment, men who have been diagnosed with this condition may turn to the assistance of a renowned and dedicated medical clinic like St Pete Urology.