Does Blood In My Semen Mean I Have Prostate Cancer
Apart from skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer in men. For this reason, you may be alert to any signs of the disease. If you see blood in your semen, youre understandably concerned.
A one-time incident of blood in your semen is usually not a major medical concern. Heres the likely causes, explains W. Cooper Buschemeyer III, MD, of Buschemeyer Urology and what to watch for when it comes to prostate cancer.
Hematuria May Occur Years After Brachytherapy
Gross hematuria can occur in men up to several years after undergoing prostate brachytherapy, according to a study.
The condition is more likely to develop in men with larger prostates volumes , those who also undergo external beam radiotherapy , and those who are free from biochemical failure, researchers reported online ahead of print in BJU International.
Michael S. Leapman, MD, and collaborators at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York reviewed hematuria outcomes in 2,454 patients who had transperineal prostate brachytherapy over a 20-year period. The study population had a median follow-up of 5.9 years.
Of the 2,454 patients, 218 reported gross hematuria at a median time of 772.2 days after seed implantation.
Only 3.8% of men with PSA failure reported hematuria compared with 9.4% of those with biochemical control, the researchers noted. A possible explanation for this finding is that differences among patients may affect their response to radiation, with respect to both toxicity and disease control. Patients who are more sensitive to radiation may be more likely to have a favorable treatment response, but also experience increased mucosal injury or necrosis that leads to hematuria, Dr. Leapmans group explained.
The authors pointed out that the significance of observed blood in urine after permanent brachytherapy remains unclear and warrants further study to understand the etiology and clinical course of this morbidity.
Your Gp Practice Nurse And District Nurse
Your GP, practice nurse, and district or community nurse will work with other health professionals to co-ordinate your care and offer you support and advice. They can also refer you to local services. They can visit you in your home and also help support your family. They might also care for you if you go into a nursing home or hospice.
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But I Had Radiation For My Prostate Cancer Over 5 Years Ago Blood And Clots In The Urine After Radiation For Prostate Cancer
Of the top ten questions I have gotten over the years about misconceptions/misunderstandings of the various treatment of prostate cancer-the concept of the delayed effect of radiation on ones body is one of the more common.
The typical situation will be the guy who has either had seeds or external radiation. He may have had a little bit of a bumpy go of it early on in the radiation, maybe some urinary symptoms of frequency or urgency or mild self-limited diarrhea, but then did well. That is until about 2-5 years later when he notes blood in his urine or exacerbation of the urinary symptoms again.
In the case of blood that is now visible in the urine and often times associated with clots, Ill mention to the patient and the wife that his is probably an effect of the radiation and the expected come back is, But he had radiation five years ago.
I noticed blood at the tip of my penis after I peed red blood. And then a maroon looking gelatin thing came out shaped like a worm, a bunch of them, then there was more blood at the tip of my penis. Ever since then the color of my urine has been blood-red.
Radiation cystitis and for that matter radiation urethritis of the prostatic urethra is a given consequence of radiation. It is not a given however if a particular patient will have any symptoms related to it. The symptoms and clinical issues:
What are some of the treatments or management of blood in the face of a past history of prostate cancer and radiation?
How Do I Use A Leg Bag
If you are up and about, youâll want to use a leg bag to drain your urine. The bag is attached to the end of your catheter and is strapped to youre your lower leg. Use the leg bag straps to hold the catheter tubing to your thigh and the bag to your lower leg. This will prevent the catheter from tugging and possibly being pulled out.
You should empty your leg bag every three to four hours or sooner if it is half full. To empty the leg bag:
- Wash your hands with soap and water.
- Stand or sit near a toilet or sink.
- Loosen the strap closest to your knee so that the bag hangs over the toilet.
- Remove the cap and open the clamp. Do not touch the drain port with your fingers or let the drain port touch the toilet seat.
- Drain the urine out of the leg bag.
- After the urine has drained out, wipe the drain port and cap with a cotton ball or gauze soaked with rubbing alcohol.
- Close the clamp and put the cap back on.
- Wash your hands with soap and water
To changing the leg bag to the night drainage bag:
- Wash your hands with soap and water
- Pinch the catheter tubing closed with your fingers.
- Remove the leg bag.
- Clean the tip of the night bag with a cotton ball or gauze soaked with rubbing alcohol. Connect the night bag to your catheter.
- Clean the leg bag following the directions in the section, How do I clean my urine collection bags?
- Wash your hands with soap and water.
Plan For Cleaning Your Urinary Catheter
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Treatments To Control Advanced Prostate Cancer
If youve just been diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer, you may be offered the following treatments:
- chemotherapy with hormone therapy
- clinical trials.
Chemotherapy with hormone therapy
Chemotherapy uses anti-cancer drugs to kill cancer cells, wherever they are in the body. It wont get rid of your prostate cancer, but it aims to shrink it and slow down its growth. You might be offered chemotherapy at the same time as, or soon after, you start having hormone therapy. This helps many men to live longer, and may help delay symptoms such as pain.
You need to be quite fit to have chemotherapy. This is because it can cause side effects that are harder to deal with if you have other health problems. Read more about chemotherapy.
Hormone therapy
Hormone therapy will be a life-long treatment for most men with advanced prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer usually needs the hormone testosterone to grow. Hormone therapy works by either stopping your body from making testosterone, or stopping testosterone from reaching the cancer cells. This usually causes the cancer to shrink, wherever it is in the body. Hormone therapy can also help control symptoms of advanced prostate cancer, such as bone pain.
Hormone therapy can cause side effects speak to your doctor or nurse about ways to manage these. Read more about hormone therapy, and its side effects.
Clinical trials
Side Effects From Hormone Therapy
Hormone therapy for prostate cancer, known as androgen deprivation therapy , suppresses production of testosterone. ADT can cause several side effects. These include fatigue, hot flashes, decreased bone density, ED, depressed mood, decreased sex drive, weight gain, heart risks, breast growth and cognitive decline.
The severity and length of side effects depend on how long treatment lasts. âIf a man has only six months of treatment, their level of testosterone rises again, and theyâll go back to feeling like themselves,â Calvaresi said.
Often, mood changes in men on ADT are caused by other side effects such as weight gain and hot flashes. âIf we can manage those other side effects, then often that improves mood,â she said. Following a healthy diet and exercising regularly often helps to decrease fatigue, prevent weight gain and improve overall mood. Before beginning hormone therapy, you should discuss the effects of ADT with your doctor, and talk about how you can change your exercise and eating habits to help head off side effects before they occur.
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How Long Does It Take For Radiation Side Effects To Go Away
The general effects of radiation therapy like fatigue, nausea, and headaches resolve fairly quickly after treatment. Your body just needs time to process the radiation but can recover within a few weeks.
Delayed side effects of radiation therapy, on the other hand, may require further treatment to alleviate. Its important to use an ongoing therapy like hyperbaric oxygen therapy to enhance the bodys healing response and optimize the bodys response to radiation damage. Without additional care, some radiation side effects like burns and inflammation can morph into chronic, non-healing wounds that trigger additional health complications.
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Further Treatments To Control The Cancer
Your first treatment may help keep your cancer under control. But over time, the cancer may change and start to grow again. If this happens you might be offered other treatments, including:
- more hormone therapy
- clinical trials
More hormone therapy
Your prostate cancer may respond well to other types of hormone therapy, such as abiraterone , enzalutamide , steroids or oestrogens, or to a combination of treatments.
More chemotherapy
If youve had hormone therapy on its own as a first treatment, you might be offered a chemotherapy drug called docetaxel . This may help some men to live longer, and can help to improve and delay symptoms. If youve already had docetaxel, you might be offered more docetaxel or another chemotherapy drug called cabazitaxel .
Radium-223
This is a type of internal radiotherapy that may be an option if your cancer has spread to your bones and is causing pain. A radioactive liquid is injected into your arm and collects in bones that have been damaged by the cancer. It kills cancer cells in the bones and helps some men to live longer. It can also help to reduce bone pain and delay some symptoms, such as bone fractures. Read more about radiotherapy for advanced prostate cancer.
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Symptoms Of Prostate Cancer Spread To The Lymph Nodes
Lymph nodes are part of a system of tubes and glands in the body that filters body fluid and fights infection.
There are lots of lymph nodes in the groin area, which is close to the prostate gland. Prostate cancer can spread to the lymph nodes in the groin area, or to other parts of the body. The most common symptoms are swelling and pain around the area where the cancer has spread.
Cancer cells can stop lymph fluid from draining away. This might lead to swelling in the legs due to fluid build up in that area. The swelling is called lymphoedema.
How To Treat Blood In Semen Or Urine
Blood traces in semen or urine can be an isolated problem that may be resolved on its own. Nonetheless, if the issue is recurrent and due to a tumor in the prostate cancer, your doctor may recommend surgery. The tumor can be surgically removed to alleviate the symptom . Alternatively, your doctor could shrink cancer to eliminate the problem.
If the blood traces in semen or urine are connected with the treatment, most times, it will reduce after weeks or even months of the treatment. In case the issue is persistent, the doctor could determine a treatment plan for the underlying problem. Aside from the standard treatment of prostate cancer, other options to treat hematospermia of hematuria include:
- Bladder washers
- A surgical operation to expand the urethra
- Medications to treat inflammation
- Antibiotics for reproductive system or bladder infection
- Treatment for underlying issues in the liver or kidney
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What Is Hematuria Is Hematuria What Causes Small Blood Clots In Urine
Hematuria is nothing but blood in the urine, or the bloody urine is known as Hematuria. As mentioned earlier, hematuria can be further divided into two parts I) gross hematuria and II) microscopic hematuria.
The blood visible in the urine through the naked eye is gross hematuria, and the other one that needs a microscopic test to see the blood in the urine tests is microscopic hematuria.
Now moving on to the next question: Is Hematuria what causes small blood clots in urine? Well, no, Hematuria is the urine that consists of blood it is not a disease but a symptom.
Hematuria can rather caused by many other diseases whose symptoms are hematuria there are many diseases like urinary tract infection, kidney diseases, kidney stones, etc., which cause blood in the urine and other symptoms.
Prostate Cancer Caregiver Podcast Series
We are proud to announce a new podcast series geared toward helping give support, hope and guidance to prostate cancer caregivers. The goal of this Prostate Cancer Caregiver Podcast Series is to help others connect with a diverse group of people who have felt the impact of prostate cancer in their lives and empower them on their journey.
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Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy
This technique uses advanced image guided techniques to deliver large doses of radiation to a precise area, such as the prostate. Because there are large doses of radiation in each dose, the entire course of treatment is given over just a few days.
SBRT is often known by the names of the machines that deliver the radiation, such as Gamma Knife®, X-Knife®, CyberKnife®, and Clinac®.
The main advantage of SBRT over IMRT is that the treatment takes less time . The side effects, though, are not better. In fact, some research has shown that some side effects might actually be worse with SBRT than with IMRT.
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How Is Hematuria Treated
The treatment will depend on the cause. Infections are likely treated with antibiotics. Prescription medications may be used for particularly painful kidney stones, or they may be broken down using extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy . An enlarged prostate could be treated using alpha blockers, or surgery depending on the severity.
Methods to prevent and avoid future issues with urine in the blood include drinking plenty of water, urinate immediately after sex, practice good hygiene and stop smoking. Some dietary changes can help such as reduced salt intake limiting certain foods like spinach and rhubarb.
So if youre dealing with blood in your urine make an appointment to let the doctors at Urology Center of Florida give you the treatment you need.
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What Is Advanced Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is cancer that starts in the prostate gland. Advanced prostate cancer occurs when it has spread, or metastasized, from the prostate to other areas of the body.
Cancer spreads when cells break off from the original tumor and invade nearby tissue. This is called localized metastasis. Cancer can spread directly into nearby tissues or through the lymphatic system to distant parts of the body. When this happens, its called metastatic disease or prostate cancer with metastasis to a certain body part or organ system.
New tumors can grow in any organ, but prostate cancer is most likely to spread to the:
- adrenal gland
- liver
- lungs
Stage 4 prostate cancer occurs when the prostate cancer has already spread to distant organs or tissues at the time of diagnosis. Most of the time, doctors diagnose prostate cancer at an earlier stage. Its generally a slow-growing cancer, but it can spread or it can come back, or recur, after treatment.
When cancer is confined to the prostate, many men have no symptoms. Others have trouble urinating or notice blood in their urine.
Metastatic cancer can cause generalized symptoms such as:
- weakness
- fatigue
- weight loss
Other symptoms of advanced prostate cancer depend on where it has spread and how big the tumors are:
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Is It Hard To Achieve A Prostate Orgasm
As Lehmiller notes, there is limited research on prostate orgasms, so personal experimentation is important.
That trial and error process can be time-consuming. Some prostate owners achieve the big O on the first go-around, while others have to have a bit of practice before finding what works, Saynt says. It also doesnt help that some prostate owners feel ashamed or less manly when partaking prostate play: The internalized shame and feelings of inadequacy could cause mental blocks which prevent the free release of the natural sex drugs our brains release when we are at our most heightened sense of pleasure, he says. This fear is a trauma which many men will never get past, making enjoyable and healthy practices like prostate orgasm impossible.
Thus, its important for partnersespecially vulva-ownersto be supportive. If youre helping your partner achieve a prostate orgasm for the first time, take it slow dont use toys or fingers until your partner is ready, and have frequent conversations with your partner about what they do and do not like. You can even ask them to demonstrate how they masturbate with their prostate.
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Transurethral Electro Resection Of The Prostate
Removing the enlarged part of the prostate is usually the best long-term treatment for an enlarged prostate gland. The portion of the gland that is not squeezing the urethra stays in place. The outside capsule around the gland is also untouched.
Transurethral electro-resection of the prostate is the traditional way to remove prostate tissue using minimally invasive surgical techniques. No outside incision is needed. Thereâs less pain, fewer complications and faster healing.
With TURP, an instrument called a resectoscope is inserted through the penis. This device is about 12 inches long and half an inch around. It has a light, valves for controlling irrigating fluid and an electrical loop that cuts tissue and seals blood vessels. During the surgery, the surgeon uses the wire loop to remove the tissue one piece at a time. The pieces are carried by the fluid into the bladder and then flushed out at the end of the operation. The surgery lasts about 90 minutes.
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