DEAR DR. ROACH: My brother was just diagnosed with a rare form of prostate cancer, called small cell. What I’ve read doesn’t sound encouraging. Are there any new treatments? — Anon.
ANSWER: Most prostate cancers start from cells that form part of the prostate gland, whose primary job is to secrete prostatic fluid. One of the components of prostatic fluid is an enzyme that liquifies mucus. It’s called gamma-seminoprotein, but is more commonly known as prostate-specific antigen — or PSA.
Cancer cells normally continue some of the jobs that the normal cells they…
