Prostate cancer bone metastases: Treatment and survival rate
'Most Common Signs' Of An Enlarged Prostate - And Other Prostate Problems To Spot
Prostate cancer symptoms shared by doctor on BBC Morning LiveThe prostate is a small gland, located in the pelvis, between the penis and bladder and has two periods of growth throughout a man's life.
Christian Brown, Consultant Urological Surgeon at The Princes Grace Hospital, part of HCA Healthcare UK, explained: "The first begins with puberty, during which the prostate can double in size.
"The secondary phase of growth begins during the mid-twenties and will often continue for the rest of a man's life.
"A young man's prostate is generally the size of a walnut, while an older man's prostate is usually the size of a ping-pong ball. As the prostate doesn't stop growing, it can grow as large as a tennis ball in some men, or even larger as they age."
While many young men feel prostate problems are only an issue for old men, they can begin at any age, advised Brown.
READ MORE: Expert warns of foods that 'should be avoided' if you have high blood pressure
Prostate problems can begin at any age (Image: GETTY)He continued: "Implementing a healthy lifestyle can reduce your chance of having prostate problems in the future.
"The most obvious and common signs of an enlarged prostate all regard urinating. If you are struggling to pee, suffer with 'stop-start' urinating, find yourself frequently urinating, and waking up in the night to pee, then your prostate is likely to be enlarged.
"Incontinence can also become an issue for some men. There are two main types of incontinence, with the first being called urge incontinence. This can happen when you have a sudden need to urinate and can't get to the toilet in time.
"The other type is called stress incontinence, which can occur when your body strains to avoid urinating when sneezing, coughing, or lifting something that is heavy."
The prostate is a small gland, located in the pelvis, between the penis and bladder (Image: GETTY)The treatment for an enlarged prostate gland will depend on how badly the symptoms are affecting your quality of life.
The NHS lists the main treatments as:
Research suggests that pumpkin seeds used in combination with saw palmetto may be particularly beneficial in supporting prostate health.
Saw Palmetto is an herbal remedy that comes from a type of palm tree, and which has been used in traditional medicine for centuries to relieve urinary symptoms, including those caused by an enlarged prostate.
A. Vogel offers Prostasan Saw Palmetto extract capsules RRP 30 capsules £19.99.
An increase need to pee can be a sign of prostate cancer (Image: GETTY)Other common prostate problems include prostatitis and prostate cancer. The NHS lists the symptoms of all these conditions to look out for.
Prostatitis is inflammation of the prostate gland and there are two main types - chronic prostatitis and acute prostatitis.
Chronic prostatitis is where symptoms come and go over several months, and is the most common type. Acute prostatitis is where the symptoms are severe and come on suddenly. It's rare but potentially life-threatening and requires immediate treatment.
Symptoms of acute prostatitis may include:
Chronic prostatitis symptoms may include:
Prostate cancer usually develops slowly so there may be no symptoms for many years.
When symptoms do appear, it's usually when the prostate is large enough to affect the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the penis (urethra). The following may occur:
If you experience the symptoms of any of these conditions, see your GP.
What Is Transurethral Resection Of The Prostate?
If you're a man over age 50, you have a 50% or greater chance of having an enlarged prostate, or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). BPH isn't usually serious and doesn't lead to prostate cancer.
The prostate is a small gland located just below your bladder and surrounding your urethra, the tube that carries pee from your bladder to outside your body. When it gets enlarged, it presses against the urethra and can cause urinary problems.
Even though BPH is common, not all men with BPH have symptoms. If you do have symptoms, they tend to get worse over time and can affect your quality of life. Symptoms include:
Your doctor may have prescribed medicine or suggested lifestyle changes as your first line of treatment. If those approaches didn't work well enough, your doctor may refer you to a surgeon for a minimally invasive procedure using heat or lasers to get rid of excess prostate tissue, or for a surgery called transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) to improve your symptoms. With TURP, the surgeon removes the inner part of the prostate gland, where BPH develops. No incision or stitches are needed, and you can often go home the same day. TURP is one of the most common types of prostate surgery.
Getting ready. If you smoke, you should stop several weeks before surgery. Your doctor can help you with tips on how to quit. Within days or weeks before the procedure, your doctor may ask you to stop taking any medicines that increase your risk of bleeding (blood thinners or certain pain relievers). You may also be prescribed an antibiotic to help prevent a urinary tract infection. Be sure to ask your doctor which medicine you should still take on the day of your surgery.
Having the surgery. First, you'll be given general anesthesia (you'll be asleep during the procedure) or spinal anesthesia (a spinal block; you'll be awake). Either way, you won't feel any pain or discomfort during the surgery. The surgeon will insert a scope (tiny tube) through your urethra and into the prostate area, where they will trim excess tissue from your prostate a little bit at a time. The surgery typically takes about an hour.
Recovering. You'll usually have to stay in bed until the next morning, and then move around as much as you can afterwards to help your body heal. You can eat a normal diet right away. You can often go home the same day.
You'll have some swelling where the surgery was done, so a catheter (small tube) will be in place to help you pee. The catheter is typically left in place for 1 or 2 days until the swelling goes down and you can urinate on your own. You may notice that you have fewer symptoms right away and your flow is stronger. You may also see some blood in your urine, which is normal after surgery. Let your doctor know if your urine does not start to clear or if the bleeding seems to be getting worse.
Getting back to normal. You may feel a little pain or urgency to urinate for a week or so after you get home, but that will gradually go away. It typically takes about 2 weeks to heal completely. To recover as fast as possible with few complications:
TURP is considered safe, and most men get better after they have the procedure. But complications are possible. Contact your doctor if you have any of the following:
New Drug To Ease Prostate Pain
by JENNY HOPE, Daily Mail
Michael Woolven suffered from a problem that most men simply won't talk about.
Even though more than two million men in the UK live with the symptoms of an enlarged prostate, they would rather talk about their golf handicap, he says.
But, at the age of 57, he was confronted with the daily difficulties of the condition. Michael, a retired cabin services director for a major airline, had problems passing urine, felt the need to go frequently and as a result slept badly at night.
The symptoms are caused by an abnormally large prostate - a gland situated just below the bladder in men - in a condition that affects one in seven men in their 40s and half of those aged over 60.
It is a progressive disorder which, if left untreated, can lead to the complete inability to urinate.
This was the emergency experienced by Michael 18 months ago. He underwent an operation and, seven months on, is almost back to normal.
But if his symptoms were diagnosed now he would probably be prescribed a drug called Avodart that reduces the risk of acute urinary retention by 57 per cent and almost halves the risk of surgery.
Launched last week in the UK, Avodart reduces the size of the prostate and cuts symptoms. When the prostate enlarges in ageing men, it literally puts the squeeze on the bladder as it passes through the prostate.
The prostate's excess growth is fuelled by a hormone called DHT (dihydrotestosterone) which is converted from testosterone in the body.
The key to shrinking an enlarged prostate is to suppress DHT levels in the blood.The drug does this by blocking a crucial step in the process of conversion and stopping the action of two linked enzymes that enable DHT to be produced.
Research published this month in leading urology journals show Avodart starts reducing the size of the prostate as early as one month after treatment begins and improves symptoms from three months on.
{"status":"error","code":"499","payload":"Asset id not found: readcomments comments with assetId=170358, assetTypeId=1"}
Comments
Post a Comment