Issues in prostate cancer: An update and review of screening and treatment options

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer detected in men and the second leading cause of all cancer deaths in men. It remains curable if diagnosed and treated at an early stage. Though screening tests are available, there remains substantial disagreement among various expert organizations as to the recommended prostate cancer screening guidelines for men Such controversy exists because it is difficult to determine whether early cancer detection translates into a decreased mortality rate. While intervention with radical prostatectomy of early-stage prostate cancer may reduce disease-specific mortality, it may not reduce overall mortality. In this cohort of patients, comorbid illnesses play a key role, and death due to causes other than prostate cancer occurs in a significant percentage of patients with early-stage prostate cancer. As a result, life expectancy and comorbidities of each individual be taken into consideration when deciding whether or not to screen and/or treat localized prostate cancer. This article reviews the issues in prostate cancer screening and the latest treatment options available for the various stages of prostate cancer.