OJ Simpson, the actor and former NFL player, best remembered for the double murder trial of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman, has died of prostate cancer. Among the most common tumors among men, prostate cancer is directly linked to age: if between the ages of 50 and 60 one man in four can present cancerous cells, by 80 years of age this condition affects at least one man in two. Despite this, this type of cancer typically grows slowly, without spreading outside the gland, and has a 5-year survival rate of more than 95%.
OJ Simpson has died after battling prostate cancer. Accused of killing his wife, he was later acquitted
The cause
The causes of this type of tumor are not entirely clear at the moment. At the basis of cancer there is certainly a mutation of the DNA of the cells, which would cause an anomalous proliferation of the cells to the point of generating a neoplasm. Among the risk factors that can increase the risk of cancer are age, family history, obesity and a diet rich in saturated fats. Furthermore, African American men would be more at risk than others, although the causes of this incidence are unknown.
How to prevent prostate cancer
Preventing prostate cancer is partly possible by keeping your weight under control and limiting the consumption of fats (especially saturated fats such as fatty meats and cheeses). However, the use of antioxidant substances such as selenium and vitamin E has not demonstrated substantial benefits.
Symptoms
Asymptomatic in the initial stages of the disease, prostate cancer is very often not discovered immediately, so much so that 30% of cases emerge when the cancer has already spread beyond the gland. As the tumor mass grows, however, it often gives rise to urinary symptoms. These include difficulty urinating, pain when urinating, blood in the urine or semen, feeling of not being able to empty the bladder.
The diagnosis
An initial diagnosis of the disease can be made by measuring PSA – the prostate specific antigen – with blood tests. In addition to this, other methods are rectal examination, high resolution prostate ultrasound (MicroUS), multiparametric prostate MRI, prostate biopsy, computed axial tomography (CT), bone scan, total body PET with PSMA.
The cure
After the diagnosis and the degree of aggressiveness of the tumor have been established, the urologist can advise the patient on different types of approach to the disease. The choice of treatment depends on factors such as the extension of the tumor, its possible extra-prostatic spread, the patient’s age and his general state of health. Among the most used methods are active surveillance, focal therapy, robotic surgery, radiotherapy, hormone therapy and chemotherapy.
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