No, women can not get prostate cancer. This is because women do not have a prostate. The prostate is a male-specific organ. But your concern is understandable, due to the fact that prostate cancer is a very widespread disease, affecting thousands of men in the US.
If you would like to learn more about the reasons why women can not have prostate cancer, the following information provides more insights.
Do women have a prostate?
As mentioned before, women do not have a prostate. The prostate is a gland located in the pelvic area of men, below the bladder. It is about the size of a walnut and surrounds the urethra. But, even though it is a small organ, it plays various important roles.
What are the prostate’s roles?
- The prostate’s main role is to produce and nourish the seminal fluid that transports the sperm. This is another reason why women can not get prostate cancer. The women’s reproductive system involves the ovaries and ovules, and not the sperm. The sperm is only produced by the male’s reproductive system, including the testicles and the prostate gland. It is interesting that the prostatic fluid is about 30% of the semen volume.
Because the prostatic fluid includes zinc, enzymes, and citric acid, it helps the sperm cells survive. One important enzyme produced by the prostate is the PSA (prostate-specific antigen). When testing for prostate cancer, doctors look for abnormal values of the PSA. However, overall, the semen is alkaline, perfect to counterbalance the acidity of the vagina. - Another important role of the prostate gland is closing the urethra during ejaculation. When contracting during ejaculation, the prostate closes the opening between the bladder and the urethra. This is why men can not ejaculate and urinate at the same time.
- The prostate gland balances the male hormonal system. The prostate needs androgens to function, such as testosterone. Also, the prostate contains 5-alpha reductase, an enzyme that converts testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This hormone is crucial in the development of other male characteristics, such as facial hair.
Because the prostatic fluid includes zinc, enzymes, and citric acid, it helps the sperm cells survive. One important enzyme produced by the prostate is the PSA (prostate-specific antigen). When testing for prostate cancer, doctors look for Women, get your men to the Urologist
Yes, women do not have a prostate and can not get prostate cancer. But their men can. That is why do not hesitate to advise the men in your life to get to see a urologist. When should you worry about prostate cancer?
- You should start thinking about encouraging your father or spouse to go see a urologist if they have reached 50 years of age. Of course, the sooner they visit a urologist, the better. But it has been proved that men over 50 years of age are more prone to being diagnosed with one or more urological issues, such as BPH or even prostate cancer.
- Insist on seeing a doctor if your father/husband, brother, etc has a close relative who suffered from prostate cancer. Scientists have stated that prostate cancer runs in families. It is a hereditary disease and usually affects men from the same family. For your information, there are some types of genetic tests for prostate cancer. If this is your family’s case, read more about the genetic tests for prostate cancer. These tests look for genes that are responsible for cancer mutation and can predict if a person will have prostate cancer in the near future or not.
- Schedule a consultation with a urologist for the man in your family if he has started feeling discomfort when urinating or when having sexual intercourse. Bear in mind that prostate cancer is usually asymptomatic, but these signs may be warnings of other benign disorders that need to be treated. If you are not sure of the symptoms’ gravity, take this BPH test and decide upon the results what is best to do in your case.
As you know, women are more proactive when it comes to health and doctor appointments. Men do not act until it is broken. This is their style. Rare are the men who like to get tested to prevent future diseases. But you may take it as a responsibility to care for the health of the men you love. And encouraging them to see a urologist may be a decision they will finally thank you for!
Women can not get prostate cancer, but they can get breast cancer
As a woman, you do not have to worry about prostate cancer. But you really need to think about preventing breast cancer as much as possible.
What is breast cancer and how does it link to prostate cancer?
Prostate and breast cancer are both the second most common cancers in men and women. The link between prostate cancer and breast cancer is in the genes. As mentioned above, prostate cancer is a hereditary disorder, meaning that it lies in the genes. Breast cancer is also hereditary, genes’ mutations being responsible for its formation.
But why and how does it happen and what should it mean to you?
When talking about breast cancer, scientists refer to 2 specific genes that suffer mutations, BRCA1 and BRCA2. Both men and women have these genes, so they are present in both genders. But not the presence of these genes increases the chances of prostate cancer or breast cancer, but their mutations. This is the link between prostate cancer and breast cancer. The mutations of BRCA1 and BRCA2 can lead to breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men. The same genes are responsible for these types of cancer.
For example, men with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations may experience a severe form of prostate cancer. If only one gene suffers mutations, then the risk of aggressiveness is lower. The same happens with breast cancer.
What can you do to prevent breast cancer?
Although you can not 100% prevent this disease, there are things you can do to prevent an advanced diagnosis. These things are:
- Kow your family history. Ask your relatives if there are prostate, ovarian, or breast cancer cases in your family. If these mutations run in your family, go to the next step.
- Take a blood test to identify any gene mutation as soon as possible. Nowadays, genetic tests for breast cancer are widely available and can identify your particular risk of prostate cancer.
Anyway, we recommend having a consultation with your doctor to get professional advice on what to do for the best healthcare. Also, take action and encourage men in your life to seek help for their urological needs. And even if they do not have any symptoms, do not wait until cancer becomes aggressive to detect it.
It is better to prevent than to cure should remain an echo in your mind. Your health is too precious not to offer it your best attention and time!
