Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men, after lung cancer. Every year it kills more than 30,000 American males.

There are two different types of the cancer - an aggressive and deadly one and the other a slower-growing and less harmful one. Making possible prostate cancer detection and its severity anticipation is the way to save thousands of men a year from surgery (treatment) they don’t need. The big problem is not the surgery itself, but the situation they will face the side effects of that treatment such as impotence, bladder control troubles and possible worst conditions.

To be able for this performance, doctors use varying techniques. The newest methods involve 3-D mapping, a biopsy method in which a grid is placed over the prostate to evaluate the amount of cancer and its precise location. The prostate specific antigen (PSA) is another possibility to detect the severity of prostate cancer. Because PSA can reveal how quickly the cancer changes over time, specialists hope that they will be soon able to anticipate the more aggressive form of prostate cancer.

In the context of accuracy, more typical methods have recently been the subject of debate. One of panel conclusion was that the still standard biopsy helps doctors determine whether cancer is present.

Prostate cancer patients should be very interested in doctor’s abilities and methods to determine the severity of their illness. They need a right evaluation of stage and progression of cancer as more men die with prostate cancer than of it.

Valerian D is a freelance writer interested in health issues affecting men such as prostate cancer

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