The Pentagon is facing serious questions after it emerged on Friday that US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was hospitalized for several days without notifying President Joe Biden, senior national security officials or Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks.
Austin is hospitalized after surgery to treat prostate cancer, what's the details?
What is prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer is a tumor that develops in the prostate gland, which is part of the male reproductive system, and it usually affects older men. If the disease is detected early, the patient may suffer from limited and temporary side effects.
The prostate is a walnut-sized gland located below the bladder and in front of the rectum. Prostate cancer occurs when the cells in this gland grow out of control. Cancer tumors in this gland can be detected early and treated.
Most prostate cancers grow very slowly. It usually takes at least 10 years for a prostate tumor to cause significant symptoms.
Many men with the disease can have their condition safely monitored with regular medical check-ups and do not need aggressive treatments such as surgery or radiation without reducing their chances of survival.
Dr. Otis Brawley, a professor of oncology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, told CNN in a statement: “Almost half of men diagnosed with prostate cancer will be monitored and they won't need treatment because, yes, they have cancer, but it's not aggressive, it's not going to kill them. .”
Symptoms of prostate cancer
Many patients experience no symptoms and are only diagnosed with a blood test called a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. Therefore, early detection tests are recommended.
There are some symptoms that many patients feel, such as:
- Frequent urination or difficulty urinating.
- Blood in the urine.
- Back or leg pain.
- Loss of appetite and bone pain (if the disease spreads).
When was Austin's prostate cancer diagnosed?
Austin's cancer was discovered in early December, according to a statement released Tuesday from Walter Reed National Army Medical Center.
How was Austin's prostate cancer diagnosed?
Dr. Oliver Sartor, chair of the Mayo Clinic's genetic cancer group, said Austin's cancer diagnosis through a blood test was reassuring.
Was Austin's prostate cancer diagnosed early or late?
Austin's prostate cancer was caught early.
What is a blood test for prostate cancer?
The level of a protein called prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is checked, which is a protein produced by the prostate gland. When the prostate gland has a problem, it secretes more PSA, and high levels of PSA can be a symptom. Prostate cancer.
The researchers did not settle on a normal level of prostate-specific antigen. Previously, if it was 4.0 ng/mL or higher, further testing was recommended, usually a prostate biopsy.During a biopsy, a healthcare provider removes a small sample of prostate tissue to test for cancer.
How dangerous is prostate cancer?
According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among American men, after lung cancer.
Although it is serious, most men diagnosed with prostate cancer do not die from it, and the death rate has fallen sharply over the past few decades.
What was Austin's treatment for prostate cancer?
On December 22, Austin underwent a prostatectomy to treat cancer.
A hospital report said the minister was under general anesthesia during the operation. After the surgery he recovered and went home the next morning.
Why did Austin go back to the hospital?
Post-operative complications were the cause. On January 1, Austin returned to the hospital suffering from nausea, severe abdominal, pelvic and leg pain and a urinary tract infection.
Austin was admitted to the intensive care unit on Jan. 2 after doctors discovered fluid buildup was affecting the functioning of his small intestine. The fluid has drained and doctors said he is improving.
What to Expect for Austin's Condition After Prostate Surgery?
African American men are 70% more likely to develop prostate cancer than white men, and are twice as likely to die from the disease.
But Dr. Sartor said, “The worst types of prostate cancer have spread and are inoperable. So the fact that he (Austin) had surgery is a relatively good sign for me.”
If prostate cancer is found after it has spread, the chance of surviving at least 5 years after diagnosis drops to 32%.
If it is detected early, the 5-year survival rate is approximately 100%.
The type of surgery that required Austin to remove the prostate significantly reduced his risk of death over the next five years, Sartor said.
However, prostate cancer is known to be more aggressive in African-American men, Sartor said, and that may be why Austin chose to have the surgery.
Prostate surgery complications like Austin's are “extremely rare,” said Dr. Michael Stiffelman, MD, chief of urology at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey, and they occur in about 2 percent of surgical cases, he said.
When was Biden informed that Austin had prostate cancer?
A White House spokesman said Biden was only informed Tuesday of the defense secretary's prostate cancer diagnosis, 18 days after he was hospitalized for surgery.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby added, “It's not ideal for a situation like this to go by for too long without the commander knowing what's going on.”
“If there are some changes that need to be made, procedurally and procedurally, we will do that,” he told reporters at the White House.
He added: “Our primary focus right now is on Secretary Austin's health and making sure he gets all the care and support he needs until he makes a full recovery. That's the focus.”
Kirby noted that Austin has already resumed all of his work, explaining that he's “already doing all the things he used to do. He's just doing it from the hospital now.”
For her part, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden has “full confidence” in Austin.
He added: “The president expressed his appreciation for Austin's statement and takes full responsibility here. I think it's important that he returns to the Pentagon and takes full responsibility.”
