Prostate Disease

The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system located just below the bladder, in front of the rectum. About the size and shape of a walnut, the prostate weighs only about one ounce. The prostate wraps around the urethra, a tube that carried urine from the bladder and out through the penis. The main purpose of the prostate is to produce semen, which is squeezed out through the prostate during orgasm. Prostate disease is a medical condition affecting the prostate in male patients. Prostate disease can be malignant or benign cancer in some cases; in other cases there is no cancer involved at all; however the symptoms of prostate disease can be quite painful patients. The most common prostate disease problems are prostatitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer.

Prostatitis is an inflammation of the prostate gland. The inflammation can be classified in three different manners. Acute inflammation of the prostate gland, which is caused by bacteria and may be accompanied by chills and fever is known as acute bacterial prostatitis. Other symptoms include pains in the lower back and rectum. A recurrent infection of the prostate, which is often associated with chronic urinary infection is known as chronic bacterial prostatitis. Painful urination and genital pain may also accompany this form of prostate disease. A type of prostate disease in which there is no apparent bacterial infection, but there is inflammation, is known as nonbacterial prostatitis. The most common symptom of nonbacterial prostatitis is difficult or painful urination. Antibiotics are the most common form of treatment for all three of these types of prostate disease.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia, often referred to as simply BPH, is an enlargement of the prostate gland that usually occurs in men who are over the age of 50. This enlargement in the prostate gland can cause a gradual squeezing of the urethra, which makes urinating difficult and painful. Quite surprisingly, many patients of this form of prostate disease do not have any symptoms at all. Those who do experience symptoms may notice difficulty in starting urination, frequent urination as well as an increased frequency in awakening at night to urinate. Because the urethra becomes blocked by BPH, the patient may experience repeated urinary tract infections. A sudden inability to urinate as well as bladder and/or kidney damage may also result from BPH. Men who are over the age of 50, have a history of prostate disease or who are of African-American ancestry may be at risk for BPH. This form of prostate disease does not always lead to prostate cancer. Although other forms of prostate disease may interfere with a patient's sexual function, BPH generally does not. There are a number of treatment options available for patients who suffer from BPH. In some cases, the symptoms may lessen on their own without active intervention. Medications as well as treatment options that are non-surgical may also help to alleviate the symptoms of BPH. Sometimes heat processes are used to destroy excess tissue. Some cases of BPH do require surgery. Some surgical options require the removal of the enlarged prostate, which will allow for better long term results and pain alleviation for the patient, while others rely only on removing the excess tissue. Patients should be aware that there are serious side effects related to surgical options, including further urinary problems as well as a loss of sexual function.

Prostate cancer is one of the leading types of cancers diagnosed in American men. Each year almost a quarter of a million new cases are diagnosed. It is estimated that prostate cancer will affect one out of every ten men. Each year more than 30,000 men die from prostate cancer. Because of the seriousness of the problem, prostate cancer is perhaps the most serious of all the different types of prostate disease. Prostate cancer generally occurs in men who are over the age of 65, although cases in younger men have been reported. There is a high incidence of prostate cancer occurring in men who are shown to have a family history of this type of prostate disease. African-American men are considered to be particularly at risk for prostate cancer and suffer from the highest death rates related to this disease. Physicians now recommend that all men over the age of 50 have a prostate disease and cancer screening once a year and that men who are considered to be in high risk groups, such as African-Americans, begin to have annual screenings by age 45. Prostate cancer begins with a tumor growing on the outside of the prostate. Prostate cancer can develop slowly over a period of years and because it may not initially show any symptoms, it may go unchecked until it has spread to other parts of the body. One of the most serious concerns regarding the spread of prostate cancer is the proximity of nearby lymph nodes which may be compromised by the growing cancer. Symptoms of prostate cancer can include changes in urination. Pain the lower back, upper pelvis, legs and thighs is also considered to be a symptom of prostate cancer. While at one time prostate cancer was considered to be quite deadly, today with early detection, the survival rates had increased considerably. There are a number of treatment options available for this type of prostate disease, including hormonal therapy, surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and simple observation.

Early diagnosis is considered to be the key to successfully treating all forms of prostate disease. Because of the fact that symptoms may not begin to present until years later, after the disease has possibly spread and affected other organs and symptoms, it is critical to have a digital rectal examination each year if you fall into one of the risk categories. When prostate cancer is picked up on an annual exam, there is an extremely good chance that the cancer will be curable and the doctor may even be able to preserve some sexual function for the patient.