Publications
PROSTATE CANCER
PROCURE Publications
In this section, you will find our publications as well as the 4th edition of the 206-page book “Prostate Cancer – Understand the Disease and Its Treatment”, an extraordinary source of information, written by two leading experts in the field of prostate cancer. All our publications are free of charge upon request and can also be viewed online or downloaded as needed. To obtain your free copies in English or French, please contact us by phone at 1 855 899-2873 or by e-mail at info@procure.ca.
You will also find brochures, fact sheets or patient guides from University Hospital Centers or Patient Associations. These documents, offering a great of valuable information, do not belong to PROCURE and are protected by copyright. We have included them in this section so that you know they exist and that they can guide you before, during or after your treatment. You can access these documents by clicking on the image or the link to their website. It should be noted that some publications are only available in French. They will be uploaded in this section as soon as they become available in English. We do not stock this material.
Hormone therapy: Guide for men affected by prostate cancer and their relatives
The purpose of this guide is to inform patients and their loved ones about hormone therapy and to give some useful tips for managing symptoms and taking care of themselves. Support for its production was provided by an unrestricted educational grant from Tolmar.
Are you at risk? Think about it!
Your diagnosis knocks you out?
7 way to help you
Prostate cancer
Le traitement par privation androgénique
Taking control
Fact sheet for patients on hormone therapy
Fact sheet for patients on hormone therapy to give to their family doctor
Nourish part 1: Building meals that works
Health Professionals: Click here if you would like to order copies for your patients
Nourish part 2: Meal planning
Health Professionals: Click here if you would like to order copies for your patients
Canadian Cancer Society Publications
Eating well when you have cancer
Complementary therapies
Sexuality and cancer
Living with advanced cancer
Pain Relief
Clinical Trials – Are they for me
When a relative has cancer
CHUM Publications
The psychological impact of cancer
Caring for a loved one with cancer
Bone scan procedure
Preparing for your surgery
The day of your surgery
Take care of your drain after surgery
Treating prostate cancer with radiation therapy
Treating prostate cancer with low-dose brachytherapy (permanent seeds)
Treating prostate cancer with high-dose brachytherapy
Preventing and treating incontinence
How to use a urinary calendar
CUSM Publications
Treating prostate cancer with radiation therapy
When your radiotherapy ends
Guide to a prostate cancer radical surgery
Going home after chemothrapy
CHU de Québec Publications
What is a Jackson-Pratt Drain
Treatment Options Publications
Treatment algorithms for all stages of prostate cancer
Publications
Publications
Publications
In this section, you will find our publications, including the 206-page book titled “Prostate Cancer – Understanding the Disease and Its Treatment,” an exceptional source of information written by two renowned experts. This book is available for free upon request, while our other publications can be viewed online or downloaded as needed. To obtain your free copy in English or French, please contact us by email at info@procure.ca.
You will also find brochures, fact sheets or patient guides from University Hospital Centers or Patient Associations. These documents, offering a great of valuable information, do not belong to PROCURE and are protected by copyright. We have included them in this section so that you know they exist and that they can guide you before, during or after your treatment. You can access these documents by clicking on the image or the link to their website. It should be noted that some publications are only available in French. They will be uploaded in this section as soon as they become available in English. We do not stock this material.
Prostate cancer – Understand the disease (Book)
Hormone therapy: Guide for men affected by prostate cancer and their relatives
The purpose of this guide is to inform patients and their loved ones about hormone therapy and to give some useful tips for managing symptoms and taking care of themselves. Support for its production was provided by an unrestricted educational grant from Tolmar.
Fact sheet for patients on hormone therapy
Fact sheet for patients on hormone therapy to give to their family doctor
Taking control – Advance prostate cancer
Eating well when you have cancer
Complementary therapies
Sexuality and cancer
Living with advanced cancer
Pain Relief
Clinical Trials – Are they for me
When a relative has cancer
The psychological impact of cancer-CHUM
Preparing for your surgery-CHUM
Treating prostate cancer with low-dose brachytherapy (permanent seeds)-CHUM
Treating prostate cancer with high-dose brachytherapy-CHUM
A guide to a prostate cancer radical surgery-MUHC
Fact sheet: When your radiotherapy ends-MUHC
Going home after chemothrapy-MUHC
Additional Information - Publications
How I coped with prostate cancer
A man with prostate cancer shares the challenges of his cancer experience.
Urologist’s advice: Treatments and information on prostate cancer
Learn more about the role of the urologist and the importance for a patient to gather adequate information after receiving a prostate cancer diagnosis.
Prostate cancer: Tests, imaging and biomarkers
Discussion about the variety of approaches available to monitor this disease before, during, or after treatment.
Is prostate cancer hereditary?
Understanding the hereditary and genetic aspects of this disease can provide valuable information to both individuals affected and their families.
Symptoms, risk and screening
Are you over 50 or experiencing urinary problems? Discover why early screening for prostate diseases is important.
Diagnosis and treatment
Recently diagnosed with cancer? Educate yourself to fully understand your situation.
The role of hormone therapy
Has your doctor recommended hormone therapy? This video is for you!
States of prostate cancer following treatment
Do your recent tests show an increase in PSA levels? It could indicate a recurrence.
External radiation or Brachytherapy?
Explore the benefits and considerations of each treatment option for prostate cancer to determine which might be right for you.
Q-A – New therapies for advance prostate cancer
In this interview, we answer patients’ questions about new therapies for advanced prostate cancer.
Genetic predisposition to prostate cancer
Although rare, some hereditary genetic mutations can increase your risk of prostate cancer.
All about hormone therapy
Hormone therapy can reduce tumor size, control cancer, and prolong life. Is it the right treatment for your cancer?
Active surveillance in 5 points
As surprising as it may seem, your doctor may prefer to wait before starting treatment.
States of prostate cancer post-treatment
Gentlemen, you’re being treated for prostate cancer, and your latest blood tests show an increase in PSA levels?
Your role as a patient
Have you been diagnosed with prostate cancer? Your role as a patient is essential throughout your journey.
Me a guinea pig?
Did you know that participating in a clinical trial advances medical science and improves the lot of patients for future generations?
Sources and references
Last medical and editorial review: April 2024. See our web page validation committee and our collaborators by clicking here.
PROSTATE CANCER
Discover our animated video!
Symptoms, risk and screening
Are you over 50 years old, or have you been having urinary problems for some time now? This video is for you! Several diseases can affect your prostate, and it’s important to detect them early. Let’s take a closer look.
Anatomy
What is the prostate
The prostate is a gland:
- Located between the bladder and the penis, just in front of the rectum;
- Formed of 2 lobes which surround the urethra, a canal that runs through the center of the prostate, from the bladder to the penis, letting urine and sperm flow out of the body;
- The size of a walnut, which grows larger in size in your forties;
- That has a soft, spongy texture to the touch like a small, ripe plum.
The prostate is made of:
- Gland cells that secrete liquids for ejaculation;
- Muscle cells that participate in the evacuation of your sperm during ejaculation;
- Fiber cells that maintain the structure of the gland.
Around the prostate, we find:
- The seminal vesicles, glands that produce sperm and that are located on either side of the prostate;
- The vas deferens, the tube that carries sperm from the testicle to the seminal vesicles;
- The nerve bundles that control your bladder and erectile function and that are located on either side of your prostate.
Structure
Three main zones of the prostate
Peripheral zone
- The peripheral zone is the largest area of the prostate. It can easily be felt by the doctor during a digital rectal exam (DRE).
- Most prostate cancers start in the peripheral zone.
Transition zone
- This is the area located in the middle of the prostate, between the peripheral and central areas. It surrounds your urethra that runs through the prostate.
- With age, the transitional area increases in size until it becomes the largest portion of your prostate. This is called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or enlarged prostate.
Central zone
- It is the part of the prostate that is farthest from the rectum. This is why prostate tumors located in this area can not be felt by the doctor during a digital rectal examination.
- If the doctor is in doubt, the following information will help decide if additional investigation is necessary:
- Your PSA level
- Your age and family history
- Your ethnic origin
Fonction
In short
Your fertility and natural fertilization
- It produces … a prostatic fluid rich in enzymes, proteins and minerals that nourishes and protects your spermatozoa.
- It makes … a protein (APS) that is used to liquefy your sperm to facilitate the mobility of your spermatozoa.
- It allows … ejaculation by contracting.
- It promotes … fertility through its enzymes facilitating the penetration of sperm through the cervix.
- It is not related to the mechanism of erection. Therefore, the origin of erectile dysfunction lies elsewhere.
Additional details
Exocrine Function
The prostate is made up of thousands of tiny fluid-producing glands. Specifically, the prostate is an exocrine gland. Exocrine glands are so-called because they secrete through ducts to the outside of the body (or into a cavity that communicates with the outside). Sweat glands are another example of an exocrine gland.
The fluid that the prostate gland produces forms part of semen, the fluid that carries sperm during orgasm. This fluid, produced in the prostate, is stored with sperm in the seminal vesicles. When the male climaxes, muscular contractions cause the prostate to secrete this fluid into the urethra, where it is expelled from the body through the penis.
Urine Flow
The prostate wraps itself around the urethra as it passes from the bladder to the penis. Prostatic changes can affect urine flow. Increasing the size of the prostate or muscle tone may impede the flow of urine due to the close anatomical relationship between the urethra and the prostate.
Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA)
The prostate also produces a protein called prostate-specific antigen (PSA). PSA is released with the ejaculatory fluid and can also be traced in the bloodstream. The testing of PSA levels in the blood is used to detect prostate cancer. The level of PSA in the blood is usually measured in nanograms of PSA per milliliter of blood (ng/mL).
A raised PSA level
Usually, a PSA rate of less than 4 nanograms per milliliter of blood is normal, but age should also be taken into consideration as PSA levels gradually increase with age. A rise in PSA concentration may indicate the presence of:
- An enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia)
- An inflammation or infection of the prostate (prostatitis)
- A prostate cancer
Your doctor will have you undergo other tests to determine the exact cause of the increase in your PSA.
We are here for you
You have questions or concerns? Don’t hesitate. Contact us at 1-855-899-2873 to discuss with one of our nurses specialized in uro-oncology. They are there to listen, support and answer your questions, and those of your family or your loved ones. It’s simple and free, like all of our other services.
Also take the time to visit each of our pages on this website, as well as our YouTube channel, in order to get familiar with the disease, our expert lectures, our section on available resources, the support that is offered to you, our events and ways to get involved to advance the cause..
Staying Informed
Pages that might interest you
Want to know more? Just click on one of the links below.
The latest PROCURE news that might interest you
Every week we publish a blog article. Here are some for you.
The medical content and editorial team at PROCURE
Our team is composed of urologists, and nurses certified in uro-oncology with a deep knowledge of prostate cancer and other diseases related to the genitourinary system. Meet our staff by clicking here.
Sources and references
- Prostate Cancer – Understand the disease and its treatments; Fred Saad, MD, FRCSC and Michael McCormack, MD, FRCSC, 4th et 5th editions
- Canadian Cancer Society
- Prostate Cancer Foundation-PCF.org
- National Cancer Institute-USA
- American Cancer Society
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
- Prostate Cancer UK
Last medical and editorial review: September 2023
Written by PROCURE. © All rights reserved
