The prostate cancer is a disease with serious side-effects and it can gravely disrupt the normal life you are having. Sex problems are not uncommon and usually the patient diagnosed with a prostate cancer can overcome these problems only with the help of his partner. The after affects of the prostate cancer aren’t noticeable, not until the tumor starts spreading or if the patient begins a treatment. Also, almost all conventional treatments have some side-effects and impotence can be one of them. The erectile problems you experience can be temporary or permanent, some being caused by shifting moods or strong feelings such as anxiety or the lack of confidence. In these cases the treatment is not to be blamed for the difficulties you encounter. The best thing is to talk about these problems and share your feelings with someone like your partner, your personal doctor or a sex therapist.
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Like I’ve mentioned before, impotence may appear shortly after being diagnosed with a prostate cancer and started a treatment for it. Impotence is seen as an erectile dysfunction when someone is not able to maintain or develop an erection of the penis for a satisfying sexual performance, not even when aroused. The causes are multiple: past traumas, side-effects of the prostate surgery, the radiation therapy and almost all types of hormone therapy or the operations for removing both testicles and drugs side-effects. If they lack information about this body malfunctioning, men will start to get all sorts of crazy ideas like starting to worry not to infect their partner with this disease if they have sex. The prostate cancer is not infectious and even though it could ruin your intimate life because of impotence, that does not mean that cancer could be passed in the semen. You may also experience some loss of interest to have sex, but that probably is also because of the treatments you follow, especially the androgen deprivation therapy.

Impotence is not the only side effect which may affect your sex life: incontinence, diarrhea, urinary catheter or tiredness are some of the most common side-effects and they usually wear off some days or weeks after finishing your treatment. After a treatment, patients sometimes report penis shrinkage or a decrease of the amount of ejaculation. This is the alarm signal for you to immediately contact your doctor and replace the treatment you follow at the moment. Some treatments, such as brachytherapy are quite problematic. For example, the radioactive pellets implanted in the prostate gland and left there to slowly decay could easily find their way out of the prostate capsule and migrate to the surrounding areas such as the bladder, urethra and finally passed in the urinary liquid.

Because there is always the possibility for the seeds to migrate through the sperm, doctors recommend the use of condoms and in case they don’t want to use this safety protection, men could also masturbate a few times after this therapy. As you can probably notice, the side-effects are quite common so before choosing a prostate cancer treatment make sure to gather all the information about it.

The erectile problems you might experience after being diagnosed with prostate cancer can either be temporary or permanent. In most cases, these problems can be regarded as treatment side-effects but it is not uncommon for them to be cause by shifting moods and strong feeling such as anxiety, depression or lack of self-confidence. The best suggestion would be to talk about these problems with your partner, if you have one, or a sex therapist. The physician will always consider as important the patient’s personal preferences when prescribing a treatment; this decision will also be based on the patient’s age, the type of cancer which affects him and the stage of the cancer. Impotence is one of the common treatment side-effect which can affect the sex life, but it is definitely not the only symptom responsible for the erectile problems.
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On the prostate cancer conventional treatments list we find prostatectomy, as the most popular treatment procedure, followed by the radiation therapy, the androgen deprivation therapy also known as hormone therapy, chemotherapy and the newest procedure, cryotherapy. These treatments could also be regarded as the main causes for impotence which is defined as an erectile dysfunction occurring when men find it difficult to develop or maintain a penile erection, even when aroused. When prostatectomy or the surgical removal of the gland is done, shortly afterwards the patient may report impotence. This happens in almost thirty six per cent of the cases but this side-effect could not be avoided; the recommended treatments for such a situation is the well known Viagra or the sildenafil tablets and injections with Caverject; there are also devices which help stiffen the penis and penile prosthesis. Patients sometimes report penis shrinkage or a decrease of the amount of ejaculation, but the causes could also be found at a psychological level.

The radiation therapy is done by using two procedures: the internal beam radiation or the external beam radiation. Both methods have as side-effects incontinence and impotence. The first radiation procedure is done by inserting radioactive pellets in the prostate gland and leave them there to slowly decay; these seeds could easily find their way out of the prostate capsule and migrate to the surrounding areas of the infected organ such as the bladder, urethra and finally passed in the urinary liquid. Because there is always the possibility for the seeds to migrate through the sperm, doctors recommend the use of condoms and in case they don’t want to use this safety protection, men could also masturbate a few times after this therapy. The radiation therapy could also cause incontinence, diarrhea, urinary catheter or tiredness which might affect the sex life of the patient. The androgen deprivation therapy is known as the chemical castration and is a treatment procedure using two types of drugs: the LH-RH agonists and the anti-androgenic drugs. The side effects are physical but also psychological. Breast enlargement and impotence are frequently reported; sometimes the patients lack the interest for sex and start to worry about not infecting their partner, even though prostate cancer is not infectious.

Patients who underwent chemotherapy or cryotherapy have also reported side-effects such as impotence, but as I’ve stated before, it’s a condition which can not be avoided. In the fortunate cases the most common side-effects usually wear off some days or weeks after finishing your treatment; even impotence can be a temporary effect. The important thing is to gather information about the treatment you incline to choose, because you can not possibly leave the prostate cancer untreated, find out more about its side-effects and what impact has on the sexual life and seek for a doctor’s advise whenever you find it necessary.

The erectile dysfunction can have a great negative impact on sexual life on a man. This means the inability to have a satisfactory erection for the sexual intercourse. The treatments for prostate cancer can cause erectile dysfunction. The treatments that can cause erectile dysfunction are: cryosurgery, hormone therapy, radiation therapy and surgery to remove the entire prostate gland.

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The type of surgery, the skill of the surgeon and the stage of the cancer can have an impact on the severity of the erectile dysfunction. For a better recovery of the erectile function after the first year after the surgery it must be used a nerve sparing technique. There is a very slim chance of recovery if it had used a non-nerve sparing surgery.

For men who have followed a radiation therapy there is a greater risk over time not to recover the erectile function. Diabetes or vascular problems can ad to the risk of losing erectile function. For rapid blood flow in the penis there are medications such as tadalafil (Cialis), sildenafil (Viagra) and vardenafil (Levitra). Usually this drugs start to work after an hour and will last from 8 hours (vardenafil and sidenafil) up to 36 hours in the case of tadalafil. Although these drugs have helped patients who have undergo nerve sparing prostectomy to have erections, there are not suited for everyone.

Surgery and hormone treatment can have as side effect a lower interest in sex. The treatment with testosterone is not suitable in this cases because of the fact testosterone can contribute to growth of the cancer. There are hormones treatments such as anti-androgens (bicalutamide) that cannot affect sexual life especially interest of sex. Couples can cope better with these side effects if both partners are opened to discuss and find solution together.

There is not easy for a man to talk about his erectile problems even with his doctor. The good news is that the doctor might have treated this problems found to other men. He already knows what the prostate patient may encounter during the treatment. There are also prostate cancer organizations that offer counseling. The hardest thing is to talk to the partner mainly because of the fear of rejection.

If your partner is well informed and already knows all there is to know about the prostate cancer it will not be a big surprise when an erectile problem occurs. Together you will find a solution. The continuous research and the evolution of technology of treatments are focused on lowering the risk of impotence and helping men obtain spontaneous erections. Best examples are the newest equipment used for cryotherapy and brachytherapy focused on reducing the risk of occurrence of impotence after the treatment of prostate cancer. Other medical technique used for protecting the erectile function is the nerve-sparing technique used in prostatectomy.

There are treatments for erection dysfunction. Some of them are vacuum constriction device, penile suppositories, and penile implants. This methods work for many men but not for every case. There are patients that feel uncomfortable from wearing vacuum constriction device. Only 30 % of the persons using penile suppositories have positive results. Penile implants works better, but they require complicated surgery.

Actually, to say that gin causes cancer is a falsehood, but I use this phrase for shock value, because I have heard many people say all sorts of wacky things about cancer causes. So whenever they say something like this, I just hear “gin causes cancer”. However, here are some things that have been studied and shown to increase cancer potential.
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Cancer has become a major cause of death worldwide. This ruthless disease is characterized by abnormal cell proliferation and abnormal tissue anatomy within the body. All body organs may be affected, but the most common forms of the disease are breast cancer, cervical cancer, lung cancer, ovarian cancer and skin cancer.

-Exhaust gas from diesel engines favors cancer - Inhalation of exhaust gas from diesel engines enhances the development of new blood vessels that contribute to the development of cancerous tumors. This is a conclusion reached by a group of researchers from Ohio University, U.S., after a scientific study, done on laboratory rats.

A relatively small amount of inhaled diesel particles can easily penetrate the body and can go directly to organs and tissues. This study wanted to reconstitute the conditions in which a person would inhale the particles in an urban environment with traffic.

After two weeks of exposure to emanations of diesel for six hours a day, five days a week, the rats have developed new blood vessels and had chemical changes in the body, such as slowing the production of an enzyme able to delay the development process of cancerous tumors. The final result of the study was: exposure to exhaust gases from diesel engines for a period of two months can turn a healthy tissue in one with carcinogen potential.

-Cannabis can fight prostate cancer - Several chemicals contained in the cannabis herb may prevent prostate cancer cells from proliferation. This is a new discovery by a team of Spanish scientists, published in the "British Journal of Cancer.”Cancer cells grown in the laboratory were blocked by CANNABINOIDS (chemicals in the cannabis plant)which helped to reduce tumor size in rats. According to researchers, the substances block receptors on the surface of cancerous tissue, which prevents the division and growth of cancer cells. This discovery could be useful for prostate cancer that does not respond to hormonal treatments.

Researchers said that more should be expected before the first clinical tests. Patients should not smoke cannabis in the hope that it will heal them, since the use of this drug has some side effects.

-A chemical that is found in everyday products can cause cancer - Researchers from the CNRS (National Center for Scientific Research) of France warn against the synthesis of chemical bisphenol A. Bisphenol A is a component present in plastic objects of daily use: packaging, cosmetic bottles, medical equipment, plastic toys, materials used in dentistry, inside boxes of beer, etc. The substance bisphenol A has a structure similar to the one of the substance diethyl-stilbestrol, a chemical component which causes congenital defects, cancer, diabetes, infertility, pregnancy problems, etc.

I have often heard the question “can prostate cancer spread to…?” and a body part. For instance can prostate cancer spread into the muscles? Or into the legs? Or into the throat? Well, the simple answer is yes, it can, through a process called metastasis, which is the later phase of this disease. The complicated answer is given through some knowledge on cancer in general, since prostate cancer is, after all, a cancer. So, can prostate cancer spread into muscles? Follow me:

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To begin an evaluation of cancers we need more information related to this disease: - Causes that lead to its occurrence; - The stage where the disease is; - Prognostic factors.

In order to reach a better understanding of all details related to this disease and all aspects deriving from it, you need to know every detail of the above. The information can be obtained from the doctor or specialist handling the case. To obtain the full medical name of the disease, its staging process, as well as information about the type of cells affected and ultimately prognostic factors, some specific tests will be performed. Copies of the results of any investigations that you will make will be stored for subsequent evaluation.

If you choose to do some research on your condition, namely use special literature, this can be extremely useful both for finding general information and to discover the latest information strictly related to that form of cancer. Treatment of cancers of each type is adapted to the form and stage of the disease and is dependent on the body part where it started, the cancer cell type, etc..

Cancerous disease occurs due to uncontrolled division of certain cells with particular characteristics, thus causing the appearance of a tumor mass. These cells that start the uncontrolled division of cells are called primary. The cells that form the primary tumor can break free and enter the blood stream or lymph system causing the corruption of other areas, giving rise to secondary tumors - metastasis. The metastatic tumor cells in tumors are of the same type as those in the tumor of origin.

For example in malignant tumors of the colon there may especially occur liver metastases. These tumors and metastatic liver tumors must be clearly distinguished from primary liver tumors, for which there is a different therapeutic approach. Also there needs to be a difference made between metastatic bone tumors and primary bone tumors.

There are important differences that must be made even between tumors with the same starting point of body, differences in prognosis and treatment are important from one form to another. This differentiation will be made through explorations that will help to establish the exact type of cancer, with the goal of optimal therapeutic approach. Cancer diagnosis is a laborious process where, although it may be clear from the start that a cancer exists, elements will be determined to help set a clear diagnosis of cancer - the exact type and stage of evolution.

The exact type of cancer and pathological diagnosis can be known with precision only after examination by the pathologist through a tissue biopsy. There are however certain forms of cancer of some organs that may where we may suspect from the start the type of pathology present. For example, on prostate cancer, in the great majority of cases we meet with forms of adenocarcinoma and also in frequent cancers of the cervix we see carcinoma.

Men who are working in an office are more predisposed to prostate cancer, according to scientists. As scientists discovered, men who are spending more time at the office, sitting on a chair most part of the day, have 30% more chances then other men of developing prostate cancer. These men have a more sedentary life, and this is why men who go to the gym and work out regularly have less chances of developing this type of cancer. So spending too much time sitting on a chair is one of the risk factors of prostate cancer.

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During a study conducted on 45.000 men aged from 45 to 79 it has been proven that men who spend just half a day on the chair have with 20% less chances of developing prostate cancer than men who spend the entire day sitting on a chair at the office.



According to this study, which has been published in British Journal of Cancer, the physical education is also very important if you are trying to avoid this disease. So men who go to the gym and work out regularly have 14% less chances to develop prostate cancer compared to those who exercise once a week or less. Even though working out is very important in general, for a better general mood, it is essential in preventing this disease. This fact was not known until now.

And if you start working out in your middle age, this will substantially diminish the risk of developing prostate cancer, as research from Karolinska Institute in Sweden say. It is assumed that working out is associated with some cancer hormones, like testosterone. Studies also showed that a fruit and vegetable rich diet also diminished the risk of prostate cancer.

There are also other risk factors of prostate cancer, like high levels of cholesterol in your blood. Keeping your cholesterol under control does not only prevent prostate cancer, but also heart conditions. A low cholesterol level halves the risk of developing prostate cancer, according to a study published by the American Association of Cancer Research.

Men who are taking care of their level of cholesterol diminish their risk of aggressive tumors, as it happens in some cases for men of 55. 60 of 60.000 monitored men developed extremely aggressive forms of tumors that were rapidly growing. None of these men had been supervising their cholesterol level. Prostate cancer is the most common type of prostate cancer among men in the United States of America. In 2009 there were estimated about 192.000 new prostate cancer cases and almost 27.360 deaths because of prostate cancer.



Coffee could prevent aggressive prostate cancer forms, according to a recent study. Coffee interacts with insulin and glucose as well as with stress hormones which play an important role in the case of this disease. However, it is not known which ingredient contained by coffee offers protection to the body, because it cannot be caffeine, since the same effects are obtained after patients had been drinking decaffeinated coffee. Studies also show that tea also plays an important role in preventing prostate cancer.