Prostate cancer and you

THE PROSTATE is below the bladder, surrounding the first part of a tube called the urethra. The urethra carries urine from the bladder to the penis; and the same tube also carries semen, which is the fluid containing sperm. Just behind the prostate is the rectum. There are also lymph nodes, sometimes called glands, near the prostate.

The prostate contains muscle tissue and glandular tissue that releases or secretes certain substances.

According to Dr Hope Russell-Dunn, consultant urologist, speaking on the weekly Health Talk Sunday series, the prostate produces a fluid that mixes with sperm from the testicles to make semen. This fluid is stored in two tube-shaped glands called the seminal vesicles. They are found just behind the bladder. During sex, the muscle tissue helps force or ejaculate prostate fluid and sperm into the urethra.

“The sex hormone testosterone is made by the testicles. It controls how the prostate works. Testosterone is responsible for things like sex drive, getting an erection, and muscle development,” Dr Russell-Dunn said.

“The prostate also produces a protein called prostate-specific antigen (PSA). This helps to make semen more watery. A blood test can measure PSA, and this is called a PSA test. Doctors use it to help diagnose different prostate problems, including cancer,” she added.

The more you know about the prostate, its normal development and function, where it is located, and what it is attached to, she said, the better you can understand how prostate cancer develops and impacts a man’s life over time, due either to cancer growth, or as a result of treatments.

“The prostate is divided into several anatomic regions, or zones. Most prostate cancer starts in the peripheral zone, the back of the prostate, near the rectum. That is why a digital rectal exam, in which a doctor examines the prostate by inserting a gloved finger in the rectum, may be performed in addition to the PSA blood test,” Dr Russell-Dunn said.

A normal PSA level is considered to be under four nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) of blood, while a PSA above 10 suggests a high risk of cancer.

Prostate conditions often cause problems with urination or bladder control. These may include the following: poor bladder control, including frequent bathroom visits; urinary urgency, sometimes with only a small amount of urine; difficulty starting the urine stream, or stopping and starting the stream, while urinating a weak or thin urine stream.

Prostate issues can also cause problems with sexual function, urinary tract infections, bladder stones, or in extreme cases, kidney failure.

keisha.hill@gleanerjm.com

NATURAL WAYS TO TREAT AN ENLARGED PROSTATE

If you are a man over age 50, you probably know someone living with the effects of an enlarged prostate gland. Maybe you are that man. For reasons that remain unclear, the walnut-shaped gland under the bladder continues to grow gradually in most adult men.

Over a lifetime, the cumulative growth can be considerable. If the gland becomes enlarged enough to obstruct the bladder, it can cause bothersome symptoms like a weak urine stream, difficulty with completely emptying the bladder, and frequent trips to the bathroom.

If you experience these symptoms, talk with your doctor. A physical exam and some blood tests can help identify the path to relief.

Some simple changes in behaviour can help to ease urinary symptoms, whether you choose treatment or not. For example:

• Avoid drinking fluids for one to two hours before bed;

• Limit fluid intake before going out in public or starting a trip;

• Urinate when you first get the urge;

• Go to the bathroom on a timed schedule, even if you don’t feel a need to go;

• When you go to the bathroom, take the time to empty your bladder completely. This will reduce the need for subsequent trips to the toilet;

• Common over-the-counter drugs, such as antihistamines and decongestants, may slow your stream even more and potentially block your ability to empty your bladder.

SOURCE: Harvard Medical School, Health Talk Sunday, Jamaica Cancer Society