What is the prostate and what does it do?
The prostate is part of the male reproductive organs. It is a gland the size of a walnut (approximately 3 cm diameter) and is located in the pelvic area below the bladder and between the penis and the rectum.
The urethra is a tube that carries urine from the bladder and runs through the prostate gland. Fluid that is produced by the prostate is carried through the urethra and is mixed with semen, which can then be ejaculated. The prostate plays an important part in reproduction and fertility because the sperm need this prostate fluid to survive.
What are the warning signs of prostate problems?
As men get older, they may start to experience urinary problems as the size of the prostate increases. Some signs of problems include:
- having difficulties urinating – you have trouble starting to pass urine or your urine flow is poor
- needing to urinate more frequently – especially at night
- dribbling urine – this may occur at the end of urination
- feeling pain or burning when you urinate.
What is Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia?
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), also known as an enlarged prostate, is a common condition in older men. The enlarged prostate presses on the urethra and blocks the flow of urine and may cause the warning signs of urinary and bladder problems.
Risk factors for developing BHP include:
- age – risk increases with age
- family history – if your father or brother has had prostate problems
- certain health conditions – for example, if you have heart disease or diabetes
- weight – maintaining a healthy weight helps to reduce your risk.
Can an enlarged prostate be cured?
If you are experiencing any uncomfortable symptoms, there are options available to help. Your doctor will perform a thorough assessment and will weigh up and discuss the options with you.
Your doctor may recommend medication, surgery or less invasive treatments. This typically depends on the symptoms you are experiencing, the size of your enlarged prostate, your general health and what course of action you want to take.
What are the risk factors for developing prostate cancer?
This type of cancer grows when cells in your prostate gland grow in an uncontrollable way. Sometimes these cells spread to other organs in your body.
The two risk factors that may increase your chance of developing this cancer are your age and your family history. It is generally rare in men who are younger than 50, but those who are 75 years old have a 1 in 7 chance of developing this disease.
If your father or brother had prostate cancer, your risk of developing this disease is higher than for someone without a family history. Your risk is also higher if your relative was younger than 60 when they were diagnosed.
Some warning signs of prostate cancer include:
- a need to urinate more frequently, including at night
- trouble passing urine when you go to the toilet
- blood in your urine or in semen
- pain in your lower back, upper thighs or hips that does not go away.
Experiencing these signs does not necessarily mean you have prostate cancer. Even if you get prostate cancer, the chance of surviving five years or more is high (95%).
If you have warning signs, it is important to talk to your doctor or other healthcare professional. More information is also available from organisations such as the Cancer Council or the Prostate Foundation of Australia.
How is prostate cancer diagnosed and what are the treatment options?
Your doctor will discuss the tests commonly used to look for changes in your prostate – the prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood test and the digital rectal examination (DRE). These tests do not diagnose prostate cancer but give your doctor an idea if there are changes in your prostate.
Depending on your situation, you may then be referred to a specialist who will help you decide if you want to undergo further tests such as a scan (magnetic resonance imaging or MRI) or a biopsy where a small sample of prostate tissue is taken and analysed. If the results of your biopsy show the presence of cancer cells, you may be offered other tests to determine if the cancer has spread.
If your tests reveal that you have prostate cancer your doctors will outline the different treatment options available to you including the benefits and risks. Your doctor may recommend monitoring your condition and only treating if the cancer grows and causes symptoms (‘active surveillance’). Other treatment options include surgery, radiation treatment, hormone treatment or chemotherapy.
What are some of the side effects from prostate cancer treatments?
Side effects from treatment may include:
- incontinence – you may have trouble controlling your bladder and bowels and suffer from accidental leakage. A range of continence products are available to help you manage these issues
- erection problems – you may have trouble having or maintaining an erection
- low sex drive (low libido) – you may not be interested in sex
- infertility – some treatments damage sperm and you may not be able to have children naturally. Some men choose to store sperm before starting treatment
- fatigue – feeling tired after treatment is common
- anxiety and depression – feeling anxious and sad after being diagnosed and having treatment is common. Your GP or a professional counsellor may help you to work through your feelings and offer strategies to assist with your recovery.
Can I reduce my risk of developing prostate problems?
Although there is no way to guarantee you will not develop problems, making a few changes to your lifestyle may reduce your risk and improve your overall wellbeing.
Lifestyle changes include:
- exercise –for example, you can do exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles or choose something else that you enjoy doing on a regular basis
- change your diet – choosing unprocessed food including fresh fruit and vegetables along with a variety whole grains and legumes and reducing the amount of alcohol you drink can contribute to your overall health
- control your weight – maintaining a healthy weight is better for your body and your general wellbeing
- reduce or stop smoking – smoking affects all the organs in your body.
How Independence Australia can help you
Find more information about men’s health at Independence Australia. If you are not sure what is best for your individual situation, we have a number of options for you to get in touch with us.
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Prostate Conditions
Prostate Conditions - Warning Signs & Management Prostate conditions, enlargement and prostate cancer usually only affect men over the age of 50, and about half of the men over this age will have some prostate enlargement. The prostate is a gland only found in men...
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