Pointing the spotlight on prostate problems
By Jazzmine Squire, Okehampton Medical Centre
What exactly is the prostate? It’s pretty startling how common this question is, when this gland provides home to the most common cancer found in men, with 30,000 cancer diagnoses each year. Despite this, there is a surprising lack of understanding around the prostate.
So where do we begin? Let’s start with what it is, shall we?
The prostate is a muscle that is fuelled by testosterone. It tends to grow as men age. In younger men the prostate is around the size of a walnut, but as men age, it can grow to the size of tennis ball and sometimes even larger.
What does it do?
The prostate functions to assist with fertility. It’s responsible for creating the liquid that transports sperm and produces a variety of proteins that help with conception. It also filters and removes toxins for protection of the sperm.
Where is the prostate?
The prostate can only be found in men and is positioned in the pelvic area, located between the penis and bladder and surrounding the urethra.
Are there any diseases that affect the prostate other than cancer?
Yes, there are two other main conditions - benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlargement of the prostate) and prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate).
What increases your risk of developing prostate cancer?
The cause for prostate cancer is largely unknown, however; there are certain factors that can increase your risk of developing this disease.
- Age - most prostate cancer cases develop in men aged 50 or over.
- Men whose father or brother have been affected by prostate cancer are at a slightly higher risk themselves.
- Recent research also suggests that obesity can increase the risk of prostate cancer.
- Men of an African-Caribbean or African descent are more at risk of developing cancer, whereas Asian men are less common to develop prostate cancer. The reasons are not yet understood as to why this is the case.
Visit https://prostatecanceruk.org/risk-checker to see how at risk you are of developing prostate cancer.
Are there any symptoms of prostate diseases?
Symptoms of prostate problems can present themselves as urinary issues, pain in the lower back and testicles, blood in urine or semen and pain and problems with sexual activities. However, early prostate cancer usually causes no symptoms and is only picked up during routine tests.
What tests can be done?
There are no single tests for prostate diseases, however the most commonly used tests are:
- blood tests
- physical examination by a medical professional
- an MRI scan
- a biopsy
If you have any symptoms mentioned above they don’t necessarily mean you have prostate cancer, but they should not be ignored and you should contact your GP. For more information, visit the NHS website or Prostate Cancer UK.