Prostate Cancer Awareness

The Centre for Health Innovation|September 28, 2024

By Dr. Mohamed El Sayed, ND, MSc, PhD.

Did you know that prostate cancer (PC) is the most common cancer in men? Most new cases in Canada are diagnosed after the age of 60. In Canada, prostate cancer is the 3rd leading cause of death for men diagnosed with cancer. In 2024, it is estimated that around 27,900 Canadian men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and around 5,000 Canadian men will die from prostate cancer. Every day on average, 76 Canadian men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and 14 Canadian men will die from prostate cancer.

Continue reading to learn about the prostate, what prostatic cancer is, how it’s diagnosed, what the red flags/warning signs are, and common treatments used for PC.

What is the prostate and what are the risks of developing PC

The prostate is a gland located in front of the rectum and below the bladder and. It is part of the male reproductive and urinary systems and functions to make some of the fluid that is part of semen. The tube that carries urine and semen out of the body through the penis is called the urethra and it goes beneath the prostate.

Prostate cancer starts in the cells inside of the prostate. What causes prostate cancer is still unknown, however, there are known factors linked to an increased risk of prostate cancer. These include ethnicity (African or Caribbean ancestry), having an immediate family member with PC, obesity or being overweight, tall adult height, and inherited gene mutations.

How is PC detected and diagnosed?

The prostate gland naturally enlarges with age. This condition is called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and causes symptoms like difficulty starting or painful urination or stopping the stream of urine. If BPH is left untreated it could cause more serious conditions such as urinary tract infections, incontinence, bladder or kidney damage. The symptoms of BPH also overlap with symptoms of prostate cancer, and men should visit their primary healthcare provider to discuss screening for PC in cases where symptoms are presenting.

Male hands holding on middle crotch of trousers with prostate inflammation, Prostate cancer, Men's health care concept.

In its early stages, prostate cancer usually causes no symptoms or symptoms that might be mistaken for common benign conditions that could delay diagnosis. Signs and symptoms usually develop as the tumour grows and causes changes in bladder habits as described before, however, when PC is diagnosed early, it is often treatable. There are warning symptoms called “red flags” that warrant immediate medical attention. You should notify a healthcare provider if you notice any of the following:

Hip or back pain
Difficulty urinating
Painful or burning urination
Blood in the urine

PC is often detectable in the early stages through an exam called a digital rectal exam (DRE) or a blood test for prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Consult your primary care provider to discuss your individual risk and whether screening may be appropriate for you. Definitive diagnosis is typically done through a biopsy of the prostate by a specialized physician. A biopsy of prostate tissue can then be examined to determine what is called a Gleason score under the Gleason classification system (GCS). The GCS describes how the cancer cells look compared to healthy cells. The next step is to determine the stage, which describes how much cancer is in the body and this can involve more involved imaging studies. Eventually, PC is typically staged as localized (in part of the prostate), locally advanced (includes most of the prostatic gland), or metastatic. “Metastatic” means that the PC has spread outside the prostate to other parts of the body, such as the bladder, lymph nodes, and bones.

Prognosis and management

The prognosis of PC depends on many factors such as staging, grade, and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level.

According to the factors mentioned above, treatments for PC may include “active surveillance”, meaning follow-up without active treatment but with laboratory investigations and examination periodically, surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and hormone therapy.

Another area for supporting patients with prostate cancer is integrative care. Integrative care can be safely used alongside the conventional treatment options listed above. Contact your primary healthcare provider or your naturopathic doctor to learn more about the use of integrative cancer support.

Other resources:

Author: Dr. Mohamed El Sayed, ND, MSc, PhD

In addition to being a registered naturopathic doctor, Mohamed is a foreign-trained medical doctor and a research assistant with the Patterson Institute for Integrative Oncology Research at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM). He is also a teaching assistant for clinical courses at CCNM. He focuses on integrative medicine, as well as supportive and integrative oncology care. He follows an evidence-informed approach and is passionate about research and teaching. Mohamed has published 30 journal articles and is a reviewer for five international peer-reviewed oncology journals.