Information and care notes for the prostate gland.

Care of the prostate gland

Q. WHAT AND WHERE IS THE PROSTATE GLAND?
A. The prostate gland is only present in men, forming part of the male reproductive system. It's function is to add nutrients to the seminal fluid on ejaculation, to help the sperm cells survive. It lies at the base of the bladder, surrounding the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the penis.

As a man gets older the prostate gland enlarges, and often this is due to a non cancerous condition called Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy(BPH). However, the enlargement can be caused by cancer, which can spread quite rapidly, in particular to form secondary tumours in the bones. Cancer of the prostate is the second most common cause of cancer related deaths in men. The condition is increasing in the Western world it has doubled in the past 30 years, with over 10,000 new cases being detected in the UK each year.

Q. WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF PROSTATE CANCER?
A. Enlargment of the prostate blocks the flow of urine and the man has difficulty in starting to pass urine and the flow is poorer than normal. Urine is passed more frequently, and the man feels a sense of urgency, in that he 'has to go' immediately. Some men may pass blood in their urine or in their sperm. The enlarged prostate can totally block off the flow of urine a very painful condition, which afflicted President Mitterand of France.

Such symptoms are also caused by non cancerous enlargement of the prostate (BPH), which is common, affecting 1 in 3 men over 50 years of age, so any man with these symptoms must see his GP.

The doctor will perform a painless rectal examination of the prostate, then some blood tests may be taken, and the patient referred to a specialist for future treatment. Earlier detection is vital as it gives men a excellent chance of beating the disease. Unfortunately about 50% of men with prostate cancer do not know that they have it until it has spread to other parts of the body.

Prostate cancer commonly spreads to bone, and the man may complain of bone pain, or a bone fracture brought on by only the slightest knock or trauma. Spread of the cancer to the spine may press on the spinal cord and cause paralysis of the legs, and spread to glands in the pelvis can block the veins from the legs causing swollen legs and blood clots in the affected veins.

Q. WHO IS MORE PRONE TO GETTING PROSTATE CANCER?
A. Diet seems to have some influence on the disease, with a high fat diet increasing the risk of getting the disease. Whereas a diet rich in green and yellow vegetables, and Vitamin A may be protective. Black races are more affected than white races, and races that eat a lot of soya such as the Japanese seem less prone to prostate cancer. As it is more common in the older man, we are seeing the number of cases escalate as the elderly population increases in numbers.

Q. HOW IS THE CONDITION TREATED?
A. Treatment may involve taking out the prostate surgically a prostatectomy, or radiotherapy. If the disease has spread to other parts of the body, then hormone treatments may be given which block the action of the male hormone testosterone, that is thought to be involved in the causation of this cancer.

A revolutionary new treatment, called cryosurgery or 'ice' therapy is currently being used at Whittington Hospital in London. Liquid nitrogen is introduced into the prostate, where it kills the abnormal cells, allowing the patient to return home after only one nights stay in hospital and to enjoy a rapid recovery. Hopefully, this may become the standard treatment for most cases of prostate cancer in the future.
IMPORTANT NOTICE : This content is from the Dr Chris Steele personal archive and is provided for convenience only. Information contained here may no longer agree with the most up to date medical advice. Please check with a medical professional before taking any action.

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