subject: Diagnosis And Prevention: Prostate Cancer Research [print this page] Since there is not a cure for Stage IV cancer there is always room to improve and better the way that prostate cancer is diagnosed, treated, and prevented. Prostate cancer research is an ongoing process. Hopefully one day there will be a cure for all stages of prostate cancer or that there will be a way to completely prevent the growth of prostate cancer all together.
Prostate cancer diagnosis currently is done by these common tests. The two initial tests that are common are digital rectal exams and blood tests. After which, further testing is done such as ultrasound of the prostate, biopsys, cystoscopy or a bladder scope, CAT scans and MRIs. These techniques have been found to be quite effective, but there is always room for improvement. Researchers have been working on a new approach to transrectal ultrasounds. A transrectal ultrasound creates black and white images using sound waves to know what area to take a sample of the prostate from. The current ultrasound techniques may not detect certain areas containing cancer. A new approach to measure the blood flow inside the gland uses a prostate cancer diagnosis technique using Doppler ultrasound. Tumors have more blood vessels surrounding them than healthy normal tissue. This technique will allow a more accurate biopsy sampling. There is also a technique where patients are injected with a contrasting agent that contains microbubbles. This technique may enhance the color of the Doppler even further. There have been promising reports, but more studies are needed before it becomes a common practice.
Prostate cancer prevention is an action that is taken to lower the chances of getting cancer. This hopefully lowers the death count caused by cancer increasingly. Researchers continually look for ways to prevent cancer. Some studies include life style changes, avoidance of certain cancer causing things and taking medicines that may prevent it from starting. One current study is looking into foods or the substances within foods that can help to lower the risks associated with prostate cancer. One such prostate cancer prevention study is taking the substance in tomatoes called lycopenes and the substance in soybeans called isoflavones and looking further into how they might help to prevent prostate cancer. These compounds naturally found in these foods are possibly created in a more potent state to see how effective they can be. There are also studies into specific vitamins and minerals that may lower the risk as well. Some vitamins being researched have actually been found in high doses to increase the risk of prostate cancer.
The only way to improve upon current methods, techniques and knowledge about prostate cancer is to continue with prostate cancer research. With research and time the understanding of prostate cancer and the ways in which to diagnose, treat, cure and prevent prostate cancer will continue to improve.
