By Dr. Jennifer Liu,
Guest columnist
Prostate health is an important issue in aging men.
Major health complications can arise from prostate issues, including prostate cancer, decreased quality of life because of urinary symptoms, and even bladder infections that can cause hospitalizations and the inability to urinate. The average age of diagnosis for prostate cancer is the late 60s. Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in American men, according to the American Cancer Society.
The prostate may not be a big organ like the heart or lungs, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t play a crucial role in the functionality of male anatomy and its location can cause issues if something were to go wrong. The prostate gland is located just below the bladder and in front of the rectum. It wraps around the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder and out of the body, which means if problems arise near the prostate, it can affect urination.
The prostate can be prone to quite a few issues but the main three conditions, according to Harvard Health, are prostatitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia (or BPH for short) and prostate cancer. Each of these conditions can have serious health consequences if not treated in a timely manner.
And since June is Men’s Health Month, now is a good time to look at various prostate issues, as well as how to treat and prevent them.
Non-cancerous Conditions
Prostatitis refers to when a prostate is inflamed.
There are two types of prostatitis, acute and chronic. Acute prostatitis refers to the prostate gland becoming infected through a bacterial infection. Chronic prostatitis is when an ongoing infection occurs near the prostate gland through the urethra. Antibiotics, prescribed by your primary physician, are used to fight the infection.
BPH, meanwhile, refers to the excessive growth of the gland that usually occurs after the age of 50. BPH can cause a range of problems, such as the frequent urge to urinate, leaking and dribbling that causes a weak urine stream, and nighttime urination.
There are many medications to treat these issues but sometimes, surgery is a treatment option for BPH. Surgery occurs in cases where the medicine provided does not provide adequate results or medication intolerance related to side effects.
Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer occurs when there is an abnormal growth of cells around the prostate.
The cancer can appear just around the prostate itself or spread to more distant sites. Prostate cancer tends to spread slowly and rarely shows early signs, which makes it difficult to detect in early stages. Prostate cancer can spread to the lymph nodes of the pelvis and in some cases to the bones, signaling an advanced stage of prostate cancer.
The good news is that prostate cancer is highly treatable if caught early. That’s why routine health maintenance with your primary care physician is so important.
Prostate cancer symptoms
As the prostate gland expands with age, some symptoms may not be noticeable right away or may even be asymptomatic. It is important to consult your doctor right away if you are experiencing the following symptoms:
- Frequent urge to urinate.
- Blood in urine or semen.
- Pain or burning urination.
- Painful ejaculation.
- Frequent pain or stiffness in lower back, hips, pelvic or rectal area or upper thigh.
Special testing can be done to determine if you are at risk for certain prostate health issues, such as prostate-specific antigen testing for prostate cancer. PSA testing is a blood test used primarily to screen for prostate cancer. The test measures how much prostate-specific antigen is found in your blood. For men ages 55 to 69, the decision to undergo periodic PSA-based screening for prostate cancer should be decided between you and your primary care physician.
Cancer treatment
Treating prostate cancer options include:
- Surgery: The most common type of surgery is a robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. The surgeon takes out the whole prostate and some nearby tissues. Side effects may include loss of sexual function (impotence) or problems holding urine (incontinence).
- Radiation therapy: This treatment uses high-energy x-rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. There are two kinds of radiation therapy: External radiation therapy, which is beamed into the prostate from a machine outside the body; and internal radiation therapy (brachytherapy), which uses radioactive “seeds” that are placed in the prostate, into or near the tumor itself.
- Active surveillance: In appropriately selected patients, observation of cancer is recommended with routine PSAs.
Preventing prostate cancer
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can reduce prostate-related health issues. Here are some things you can do to maintain a healthier prostate:
- A healthy diet: Eat foods such as oily fish that are high -n omega-3 fatty acids, vegetables, and foods high in healthy fats, such as nuts, olives and avocados. Ask your physician about supplements that can help support you if you don’t have access to these types of food.
- Regular exercise: Exercising can help maintain an ideal body weight, which can help boost your prostate health, including by reducing urinary tract symptoms that cause the prostate to enlarge. Studies show that sufficient physical movement can also reduce the risk of developing BPH while helping maintain body health.
Taking care of yourself is important and knowing what you can do to care for your health is equally as important. Do not hesitate to consult with your doctor right away if you feel something is wrong, as it is always best to talk with your physician to prevent further complications.
Dr. Jennifer Liu is a diplomate of the American Board of Urology and specializes in the treatment of urologic cancers, urinary incontinence and dysfunction, sexual dysfunction and kidney stones. She is one of the few surgeons at MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center with advanced training and a fellowship in the use of the da Vinci® Surgical System.