Become Aware of Enlarged Prostate

Jun 5th, 2009
by megdilts.
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by: Steven A Johnson

The prostate is part of a man’s sex organs. It is the size of a walnut and surrounds the urethra. As the prostate grows larger it can press on the urethra. This narrows the urethra and can cause some men with prostate enlargement to have problems urinating. Prostate enlargement is said to be the most common health problem in men older than 60 years of age. The prostate usually starts to enlarge at about the age of 40.

Early in prostate enlargement the bladder muscle become thicker to force the urine through the urethra. It does so by contracting more powerfully. This can make the bladder more sensitive. As the prostate is getting larger and the urethra is squeezed tighter, the bladder may not be able to keep up and cause problems fully emptying the bladder. If too much blockage happens from the prostate enlarging it may cause repeated urinary tract infections which can cause kidney damage.

Sometimes men with enlarged prostate don’t get any symptoms at all. But common symptoms of enlarged prostate are a weak urine stream, difficulty starting to urinate, dribbling after urinating, feelings of not fully emptying the bladder, leaking urine, more frequent urination, bloody urine, and loss of sexual desire or functions.

Getting a physical exam every year is recommended to be sure there are no signs of enlarged prostate. If there are signs there will be another physical exam to determine exact causes of symptoms. A digital rectum exam is normally done to examine the prostate gland. The doctor can then determine the size and condition of the prostate or feel for lumps. Urine tests are done too to make sure there are no signs of infection.

There are both medical and surgical treatments for enlarged prostate. A common operation for resection of prostate is TURP. The doctor will scrape away the inner core of the prost ate through a small instrument inserted through the urethra. This is done to give relief from symptoms. TUIP is an operation that instead of removing prostate tissue the doctor makes cuts in the prostate; the cuts reduce pressure on the urethra making it easier to urinate. There are also other surgeries out there to treat enlarged prostate.

Often times after having TURP done men find that they have the side effect of semen not going through the penis during orgasm. Since it is not going through the penis it is going backward into the bladder. It can be treated with a drug to keep the bladder closed. This can cause problems with fertility. Erection problems and loss of bladder control are also common side effects of prostate surgeries.

Saw palmetto has a long history of relieving inflammation of the prostate and reducing the hormones that cause prostate enlargement. Pygeum africanum is another herb that can reduce enlargement of the prostate and inflammation. Zinc is very important in cell growth and differentiation in regulating normal cell death. It is great for building the immune system as well.Zinc is very helpful with enlarged prostates and inflammation of the prostate.

Forever Pro 6 is a blend of 6 vitamins, minerals, and herbs for prostate health. By tapping into the power of these ingredients and putting them into an easy to take tablet, it is one of the strongest nutritional supplements for prostate health. It has saw palmetto, pygeum extract, vitamin E, selenium, and lycopene in it. They are great antioxidants to help maintain proper prostate function by stopping the damaging effects of free radicals.

About The Author

Steven Johnson is interested in maintaining a vital and healthy lifestyle. For more information on various health products and other life-enhancing nutrients please visit his website http://www.alternative-health-supplements.com/pro-6.htm

Posted in: Prostate Health, Prostate Problems.
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How does a patient decide what the best treatment option is for localized prostate cancer?

May 13th, 2009
by megdilts.
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Choosing a treatment option involves the patient, his family, and one or more doctors. They will need to consider the grade and stage of the cancer, the man’s age and health, and his values and feelings about the potential benefits and harms of each treatment option. Since both surgery and radiation therapy are options for localized disease, consultation with both a urologist and a radiation oncologist is recommended. Often it is useful to seek additional opinions—from the same type of doctor, an internist, a family practice physician, or a medical oncologist. Because there are several reasonable options for most patients, patients may hear different opinions and recommendations and the decision can be difficult. However, patients should try to get as much information as possible and allow themselves enough time to make a decision. There is rarely a need to make a decision without taking time to discuss and understand the pros and cons of the various approaches.

Source: the National Cancer Institute

Posted in: Prostate Cancer.
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How is localized prostate cancer treated?

May 12th, 2009
by megdilts.
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Three treatment options are generally accepted for men with localized prostate cancer: Radical prostatectomy, radiation therapy (with or without hormonal therapy), and active surveillance (also called watchful waiting).

* Radical prostatectomy is a surgical procedure to remove the entire prostate gland and nearby tissues. Sometimes lymph nodes in the pelvic area (the lower part of the abdomen, located between the hip bones) are also removed. Radical prostatectomy may be performed using a technique called nerve-sparing surgery that may prevent damage to the nerves needed for an erection. However, nerve-sparing surgery is not always possible.

* Radiation therapy involves the delivery of radiation to the prostate. Radiation therapy is usually administered in an outpatient setting using an external beam of radiation. Radiation can also be delivered in a technique known as brachytherapy, which involves implanting radioactive seeds directly into, or very close to, the tumor using a needle. Patients with high-risk prostate cancer are candidates for adding hormonal therapy to standard radiation therapy.

* Active Surveillance (watchful waiting) may be an option recommended for patients with early-stage prostate cancer, particularly those who have low-grade tumors with only a small amount of cancer seen in the biopsy specimen. These patients have regular examinations, PSA tests, and, sometimes, scheduled biopsies. If there is evidence of cancer growth, active treatment may be recommended. Older patients and those with serious medical problems may also be good candidates for active surveillance.

Source: the National Cancer Institute

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How is prostate cancer diagnosed?

May 10th, 2009
by megdilts.
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A diagnosis of prostate cancer can be confirmed only by biopsy. During a biopsy, a urologist (a doctor who specializes in diseases of urinary and sex organs in men, and urinary organs in women) removes tissue samples, usually with a needle. This is generally done in the doctor’s office with local anesthesia. Then, a pathologist (a doctor who identifies diseases by studying tissues under a microscope) checks for cancer cells.

Men may have blood tests to see if the cancer has spread. Some men also may need the following imaging tests:

* Bone scan: A doctor injects a small amount of a radioactive substance into a blood vessel, and it travels through the bloodstream and collects in the bones. A machine called a scanner detects and measures the radiation. The scanner makes pictures of the bones on a computer screen or on film. The pictures may show cancer that has spread to the bones.

* Computerized tomography (CT) scan: An x-ray machine linked to a computer takes a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body. Doctors often use CT scans to see the pelvis or abdomen.

* Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): A strong magnet linked to a computer is used to make detailed pictures of areas inside the body.

Prostate cancer is described by both grade and stage.

* Grade describes how closely the tumor resembles normal glandular tissue of the prostate. Based on the microscopic appearance of the tumor tissue, pathologists may describe it as low-, medium-, or high-grade cancer. One way of grading prostate cancer, called the Gleason system, uses scores of 2 to 10. Another system uses G1 through G4. In both systems, the higher the score, the higher the grade of the tumor. High-grade tumors generally grow more quickly and are more likely to spread than low-grade tumors.

* Stage refers to the extent of the cancer. Early prostate cancer, stages I and II, is localized. It has not spread outside the prostate gland. Stage III prostate cancer, often called locally advanced disease, extends outside the gland and may be in the seminal vesicles. Stage IV means the cancer has spread beyond the seminal vesicles to lymph nodes and/or to other tissues or organs.

Source: the National Cancer Institute

Posted in: Prostate Cancer.
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Does prostate cancer screening save lives?

May 10th, 2009
by megdilts.
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The benefits of screening and local therapy (surgery or radiation therapy) for early prostate cancer remain unclear, and it is not known for certain whether prostate cancer screening saves lives. Because of this uncertainty, NCI, which is part of the National Institutes of Health, is supporting research to learn more about screening for prostate cancer. Currently, researchers are conducting a large randomized clinical trial, called the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial, to determine whether screening with PSA tests and DREs reduces the death rate from this disease. The researchers are also assessing the risks of screening. Specifically, men who have an elevated PSA level or a suspicious DRE are more likely to have a biopsy, which is an invasive procedure, and, if the biopsy is positive, the risks of surgery, radiation therapy, and even active surveillance (also called watchful waiting) must be taken into account.

Source: the National Cancer Institute

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How reliable are the screening tests for prostate cancer?

May 9th, 2009
by megdilts.
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Neither of the screening tests for prostate cancer is perfect. Most men with an elevated PSA level do not have prostate cancer (false positives), and some men with prostate cancer have a low PSA level (false negatives). The DRE is also associated with false positives and false negatives. Using the DRE and PSA together will miss fewer cancers (greater sensitivity) but also increases the number of false positives and subsequent biopsies in men without cancer (lower specificity).

The National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Early Detection Research Network (EDRN) has a Prostate Collaborative Group that is exploring a variety of strategies to find better ways to detect prostate cancer early. In addition, NCI’s prostate cancer Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) is funding projects to identify new diagnostic and prognostic biological markers, or biomarkers, of prostate cancer besides PSA.


Source: the National Cancer Institute

Posted in: Prostate Cancer, Prostate Problems.
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Can prostate cancer be found before a man has symptoms?

May 9th, 2009
by megdilts.
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Yes. Prostate cancer screening is looking for the disease before a person has any symptoms. Two screening tests commonly used to detect prostate cancer in the absence of symptoms are the digital rectal exam (DRE), in which a doctor feels the prostate through the rectum to find hard or lumpy areas, and a blood test that detects a substance made by the prostate called prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Together, these tests can detect many “silent” prostate cancers that have not caused symptoms. Due to the widespread use of PSA testing in the United States, approximately 90 percent of all prostate cancers are currently diagnosed at an early stage, and, consequently, men are surviving longer after diagnosis.

Source: the National Cancer Institute

Posted in: Prostate Health, Prostate Problems.
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What other prostate conditions can cause symptoms like prostate cancer?

May 1st, 2009
by megdilts.
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As men get older, their prostate may grow bigger and block the flow of urine or interfere with sexual function. This common condition, called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), is not cancer, but it can cause many of the same symptoms as prostate cancer. Although BPH may not be a threat to life, it may require treatment with medicine or surgery to relieve symptoms. An infection or inflammation of the prostate, called prostatitis, may also cause many of the same symptoms as prostate cancer. Again, it is important to check with a doctor.

Source: the National Cancer Institute

Posted in: Prostate Problems.
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What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?

Apr 30th, 2009
by megdilts.
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Most of the time, prostate cancer does not initially cause symptoms. By the time symptoms do occur, the disease may have spread beyond the prostate. Symptoms of prostate cancer may include the following:

* Urinary problems:
o Not being able to urinate.
o Having a hard time starting or stopping the flow of urine.
o Needing to urinate often, especially at night.
o Weak flow of urine.
o Urine flow that starts and stops.
o Pain or burning during urination.
* Difficulty having an erection.
* Blood in the urine or semen.
* Frequent pain in the lower back, hips, or upper thighs.

Although these symptoms can be symptoms of cancer, they are much more likely to be caused by noncancerous conditions. It is important to check with a doctor.

Source: National Cancer Institute

Posted in: Prostate Cancer, Prostate Problems.
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Who is at risk for prostate cancer?

Apr 29th, 2009
by megdilts.
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An important risk factor is age; more than 70 percent of men diagnosed with this disease are over the age of 65. African American men have a substantially higher risk of prostate cancer than white men, including Hispanic men. In addition, dramatic differences in the incidence of prostate cancer are seen in different populations around the world.

Genetic factors appear to play a role in prostate cancer development, particularly among families in which the diagnosis is made in men under age 60. The risk of prostate cancer rises with the number of close relatives who have the disease.

Some evidence suggests that dietary factors may increase or decrease the risk of prostate cancer.

Source: the National Cancer Institute

Posted in: Prostate Cancer.
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