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Remember, the “b” stands for benign. BPH is not prostate cancer, and having BPH doesn’t mean a man is more or less likely to get prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer begins in the outer peripheral zone of the prostate, and grows outward, invading surrounding tissue (as opposed to the inward growth of BPH). It often has no symptoms for months or even years, prompting scientists to dub it “silent”. Because BPH grows inward, it produces annoying, difficult-to-ignore symptoms. An enlarged prostate alone may or may not cause symptoms (the size of the prostate is not indicative of the degree of urinary symptoms). However, the degree of bothersome symptoms is the most common reason men seek treatment.
How is BPH Treated (and When)?
One-quarter of men with BPH (more than 350,000 a year in the United States alone) will eventually require treatment, some more than once, to relieve the urinary obstruction caused by BPH.
Based on the figures mentioned above, it’s likely that after age 60, a majority of men will either be taking medication for BPH or considering it.
BPH is treated with alpha blockers (medications that relax the muscles of the urinary sphincter), or 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, (medications that shrink the volume of the prostate). Currently approved alpha blockers include: terazosin (Hytrin), doxazosin (Cardura), tamsulosin (Flomax), alfuzosin (Uroxatrol), and silodosin (Rapaflo). Approved 5-alpha reductase inhibitors include: Finasteride (Proscar) or dutasteride (Avodart). These classes of medications will often be used in combination to prevent urinary obstruction and ease symptoms.
Medication doesn’t help everyone. Men experiencing more severe symptoms, or those who have not sought treatment until the disease has advanced, will likely find surgery to be the best option.
How Can Treatment Affect the Risk of Prostate Cancer?
While BHP is not prostate cancer, the 5-alpha reductase inhibitors (which shrink the prostate) can reduce a man’s risk over time of developing prostate cancer by about 25%. There are two benefits to this: First, it makes prostate cancer easier to detect, and second, it prevents the treatments down the road that cause side effects. These hormonal agents are not as effective on more aggressive prostate cancers, and have not been show to save lives due to prostate cancer. As always, it’s important to discuss the risks and benefits of these medicines with your doctor.
That said, symptoms are symptoms, and no matter what’s most likely to be causing them, you should get them checked out by a doctor.
What is a PSA Test?
The PSA test is the leading method of screening for prostate cancer. PSA screening can help catch the disease at an early stage when treatment may be more effective and potentially have fewer side effects. The PSA test may be done along with a digital rectal exam (DRE), in which a physician inserts a gloved finger into the rectum to examine the prostate for irregularities.
During a PSA test, a small amount of blood is draw from the arm, and the level of PSA, a protein produce by the prostate, is measure. A higher PSA means that there is a greater chance that you have prostate cancer. Historically, a PSA of 3 or 4 was consider as the threshold of “normal” vs “abnormal.” However, we now know that it’s more complicated, and a high PSA does not necessarily mean that a man has prostate cancer. In some (rare) cases, cancer can be present even when PSA levels are lower.
Your doctor will consider several factors when evaluating the results of your PSA test, including age (PSA rises with age) and race (Black men tend to have slightly higher PSAs, on average). If you have had multiple PSA tests, your doctor will look at the trend, and any rate of rise over time (PSA velocity).
Remember that assessment of PSA must also take into account:
Prostate size: A man with a large-than-usual prostate may have a higher-than-usual normal PSA level.Prostatitis: Prostatitis is a pain condition, often cause by bacterial infection in which the prostate is inflame, swollen, and tender. Prostatitis can cause high PSA.Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH): BPH is an enlarged prostate. It may make urination or ejaculation difficult, and along with the swelling, may cause a spike in PSA levels.
Urinary tract infection or irritation: An infection of the urinary tract, as well as irritation caused by medical procedures involving the urethra or bladder, may irritate the prostate and cause it to produce more PSA.
Prostate stimulation: Sexual activity, a DRE, or even a long bike ride can cause temporarily high PSA.
Medications
Some medications, such as finasteride (Proscar or Propecia) or dutasteride (Avodart), can lower your PSA.
Prostate cancer is a leading cause of death in men. Your doctor can perform a type of screening exam. The digital rectal exam (DRE) is a physical screening. Your doctor checks the size and feel of your prostate with their fingers to detect problems. The prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening tests the PSA level in your blood. Malegra 200 is a substance that treat by the prostate gland. A high PSA level may indicate a prostate problem.
Path to improved health
The goal of prostate screenings is to find cancer early. Cancer is ease to treat and more like to be cure if it is caught early.
However, most cases of prostate cancer are not aggressive. More men have a slow-growing form of prostate cancer. This means they may not have symptoms or even require kamagra 100mg Oral Jelly treatment. Nine out of 10 men who have prostate cancer go on to receive treatment. Prostate cancer treatment can have long-term side effects. These include loss of bladder control and erectile dysfunction. There is a rare chance of problems occurring in surgery to get a biopsy. This is the only way to confirm a prostate cancer diagnosis.
In addition, PSA test results aren’t always accurate. Studies suggest that up to 80% of PSA test results are false-positives. This means that the PSA test result suggests that you might have cancer when you do not. A false-positive test result can lead to unneeded tests, such as a biopsy, and side effects from testing. It also causes worry for you and your family.
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