The prostate is walnut-sized gland at the exit of the bladder and is only present in men. At birth, the prostate gland is tiny, but after puberty, it enlarges due to increasing levels of testosterone in the body. It plays an important role in manufacturing the liquid component of semen. There are several diseases that can affect the prostate gland.
Types
There are three diseases that can affect the prostate gland. These are prostatitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer. BPH involves enlargement of the prostate gland and is mostly linked to aging. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Kidney Diseases, it is unlikely to affect men younger than 40 years of age. Prostatitis is an inflammatory disease of the prostate gland that usually affects younger and middle-aged men, while prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer in men and mainly affects men over 50.
Prevalence
According to Prostate UK, BPH affects around 50 percent of middle-aged men, although the condition may not cause a problem for all men. Prostate UK estimates that men have a 1 in 14 lifetime risk of suffering prostate cancer. This risk may rise to as many as 1 in 11 men over 50 years of age. Prostatitis affects about 1 in 15 men who are middle-aged or younger.
Symptoms
According to the National Health Service, the symptoms of BPH, prostate cancer and prostatitis are similar, so it is usually not possible to identify which condition a man has by symptoms alone. Common symptoms include frequent urination particularly at night as well as difficulty in urinating. Pain is frequently present during urination and sex. Less common symptoms may include pain in the lower back and the presence of blood in the urine.
Diagnosis
To diagnose prostate cancer, a doctor may carry out a prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, test. Prostate cancer increases the production of PSA, so measuring blood levels of PSA can help determine whether prostate cancer is present. Alternatively, a doctor may also perform a digital rectal examination, or DRE, where a doctor inserts a finger in the rectum to check if there any changes to the surface of the prostate cancer. When prostate cancer is strongly suspected, a biopsy may be taken. Although a biopsy is more helpful than the PSA test, 20 percent of cancers may still be missed. BPH and prostatitis are usually diagnosed by a DRE, but urine tests may also be carried out to rule out a urinary tract infection.
Treatments
Prostate cancer may require little intervention, and a doctor may decide just to observe a patient with a slow-growing tumor. However, the Bupa website states that surgery is the most common treatment for most cases of prostate cancer. In some cases, chemotherapy, radiotherapy or hormone therapy may be required to destroy cancer cells. BPH is usually treated with drugs such as alpha-blockers or 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors, although surgery may be required for patients who do not respond to medical therapy. The treatment for prostatitis depends on the cause of the condition. If the inflammation is caused by a bacterial infection, a doctor will likely prescribe a course of antibiotics. If a bacterial infection is not present, anti-inflammatory drugs may be prescribed.
