Among all male diseases, prostate cancer is in third place in the list of lethality. According to statistics, every tenth man over 40 years of age can develop prostate cancer. This disease affects not only physical health but also the mental state of men.
The development of medical tourism allowed thousands of patients to undergo treatment abroad. The most successful countries in the field of prostate cancer treatment are Turkey and Germany. They have gained such popularity due to the high quality of treatment. In addition, the cost of prostate cancer treatment here is lower than in European countries.
What is prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer is a malignant disease that usually develops against the background of hyperplasia of the prostate gland. The peculiarity of prostate cancer is that malignant formation develops very slowly. The sooner the disease is discovered, the more chances for successful treatment.
Given the wide spreading of the disease, underestimation of the prostate cancer problem may lead to unpleasant consequences. If you are diagnosed with prostate cancer, do not panic and start writing a will, it is more correct to seek specialist advice and learn about the stage of your disease and possible treatments.
Manifestations of prostate cancer
As a rule, prostate cancer does not cause any symptoms at the early stages. The main manifestations of cancer appear at the advanced stages of the disease when the tumor grows significantly.
In men with prostate cancer such symptoms may arise:
- Disorders of urination.
- Urination at night.
- Violations of erectile function.
- Pain during urination.
- Blood in the urine.
- Weak urine stream.
- Pain in the perineum.
If you notice that you have one or more symptoms from this list, it is recommended to see your general practitioner in order to prevent the development of prostate cancer.
Risk factors
Through years of research, the following risk factors that increase the chances of developing prostate cancer have been found:
- Older age – from the age of 45 all men have an increased risk of developing prostate cancer.
- Heredity – if your relatives had prostate cancer, the risk of developing the disease doubles.
- Lifestyle. Alcohol abuse and tobacco smoking can lead to mutagenic processes in the body. As a result, a benign tumor in the prostate gland is transformed into prostate cancer.
- Ethnicity – European citizens are less likely to develop the disease.
Up-to-date diagnostics
The examination for men with prostate cancer includes:
- Prostate ultrasound examination is an informative and non-invasive diagnostic method, which does not require a preparation from the patient. As a method of imaging, the prostate ultrasound examination is widely used in primary diagnostics of prostate diseases due to its informative value.
- Blood test for the level of a prostate-specific antigen. In a healthy man, the PSA level does not exceed 4 nanograms per milliliter. With an increase in this antigen, we can suspect the development of prostate cancer. Nevertheless, in some patients with prostate cancer, PSA level remains within normal limits.
Treatment
The therapy of prostate cancer involves a comprehensive approach. Depending on the type and stage of the disease, as well as the age of a men, the treatment scheme includes one or more methods:
- Observation. It is suitable in the non-aggressive form of the tumor when the patient is elderly. As a rule, the prostate tumor develops quite slowly, and an invasive treatment often does not improve the overall health state in older people.
- Radiation therapy. It is a non-invasive treatment method the purpose of which is to weaken and destroy cancer cells. The essence of the treatment is to irradiate the prostate with external sources or with internal capsules with radioactive substances. However, the cost per treatment will be higher compared to the surgical method.
Benefits of undergoing treatment abroad
In order to receive therapy in the best clinics of the world, you may contact the medical tourism operator Booking Health. With the help of Booking Health, the cost of prostate cancer treatment will be lower than in the case of an independent organization of the medical program.
In addition, by choosing Booking Health you get a huge number of benefits that will make your treatment pleasant. The full list of treatment costs can be found on the company’s website.