What is prostate disease?

Prostate disease is a term used to describe any medical problem involving the prostate gland. Not all prostate disease is cancer nor will it necessarily lead to cancer.

Other prostate conditions are:

• Benign prostate hyperplasia/hypertrophy (BPH)
  • The important word here is benign. Benign means there is no cancer. Therefore this condition is not life threatening. BPH does not increase your risk of developing prostate cancer.
  • BPH is quite common. It can cause problems when urinating. In mild cases it can be managed without treatment. If moderately troublesome it can be treated with medication.
  • If severe it can be remedied with various operations to relieve the obstruction. Trans-Urethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP) is the most common surgery.
• Prostatitis
  • is another common benign condition that is caused by inflammation (swelling) of the prostate.
  • It can cause discomfort deep within the pelvis sometimes felt all the time, or while passing urine or with ejaculation. Sometimes the discomfort is very painful. The pain can spread beyond the pelvis.
  • If the inflammation, and thus the pain, is caused by an infection antibiotics will be needed.
  • Acute prostatitis is a short term condition. Chronic prostatitis continues for a long time. Treatment is specific for each case. It is sometimes a difficult condition to treat satisfactorily.
• Prostodynia
  • this is long standing, chronic prostate disease and is different to chronic prostatitis because there is usually no clear sign of infection or inflammation.
  • Pain starts at the base of the urinary bladder, lower abdomen or groin deep inside behind the scrotum, and can spread into the penis or inside the legs, or even lower back.
  • Treatments are varied and may include antibiotics, non-steroid anti-inflammatory agents (NSAID), muscle relaxants, and medication for chronic pain.

What Is cancer?

Every living thing is made up of cells and our body is made up of millions of cells. Each cell has a specific function to perform within the body and after a while they die and are replaced by new cells.

Damage to the genes of the cell is the underlying cause of cancer. This damage can be inherited or caused by other factors. Then, when these damaged cells start behaving abnormally and begin to increase in a disorganised and uncontrolled way, a mass called a tumour results.

What is prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer occurs when cells of the prostate start behaving abnormally and start to mass produce.

If the cancer cells are detected early and the cancer is contained within the prostate it is easier to deal with. If not detected early it may spread outside the prostate affecting surrounding tissues.It may eventually spread to nearby soft tissues.

Am I likely to get prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men after skin cancer. The likelihood of developing prostate cancer is influenced by:

• Being male - since only men have a prostate gland, only men can develop prostate cancer.
• Ageing - the risk of developing prostate cancer increases with age. The risk od a man in his 40's developing prostate cancer is less than 1 in 1,000. However, young men are more likely to have more aggressive tumours. For a man of 50, the average lifetime risk is 1 in 8.

What if I have a family history of prostate cancer?

If you do, then your risk of developing prostate cancer is more than 3 times the average lifetime risk. If a man has a first-degree blood relative - father or brother - who has been diagnosed his chances of developing prostate are 3 times greater than normal. If he has two first-degree relatives with prostate cancer his chances increase 4 to 7 times. The risk seems to be greater is prostate cancer is detected in a blood relative at a younger age; before the age of 60 years.

What if I have no symptoms?

This doesn't matter. Prostate cancer doesn't necessarily cause symptoms until it has reached an advanced state and this could be 20 years or more after it has started to grow.

Less commonly, it can include any of the symptoms associated with other urinary or prostate disorders. Some men may experience persistent pain or aches in the lower back, hips or upper thighs.

But doesn't prostate cancer only happen in old men?

Although prostate cancer is usually diagnosed in men in their late 60's and 70's, it often starts to grow when a man is in his 40's or 50's. This means that there is a very good opportunity to detect and deal with it much earlier. (And therefore increase the chances of a cure.)