prostate disease

Prostate Diseases: An Overview

The prostate gland, a vital component of the male reproductive system, can be affected by various diseases that impact men's health worldwide. These conditions can cause discomfort, affect urinary function, and in some cases, have severe consequences.

Types of Prostate Diseases

There are several types of prostate diseases, including:

• Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH): A non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland that affects approximately 50% of all men before the age of 50 and greater than 75% percent of men over the age of 60 [5]. Symptoms include difficulties associated with urinating, an urge to urinate even when the bladder is empty (urgency), frequent urination, especially at night, and a weak or intermittent stream [5].
• Prostatitis: Inflammation (swelling and pain) in the prostate gland, which is the most common type of prostate problem in people under 50 [1]. It can be caused by a bacterial infection or have no known cause.
• Prostate Cancer: A disease that affects older men, but is much less common than BPH. It can cause symptoms such as trouble urinating, decreased force in the stream of urine, blood in the urine or semen, bone pain, and weight loss [6].

Symptoms of Prostate Diseases

Common symptoms of prostate diseases include:

• Frequent urge to urinate
• Urgency to get up many times during the night to urinate
• Blood in urine or semen
• Pain while urinating
• Difficulty starting or stopping the flow of urine
• Weak or interrupted stream of urine

Complications of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

An enlarged prostate can cause problems with emptying your bladder, leading to complications such as:

• Urinary retention
• Incontinence
• Recurrent urinary tract infections
• Kidney damage

It is essential for men to be aware of these conditions and their symptoms, especially if they have a family history or are experiencing any of the above-mentioned symptoms. Early detection and treatment can significantly improve outcomes and quality of life.

References:

[1] Context result 1: The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system. It lies just below the bladder. It makes fluid that is part of semen. What are prostate diseases? There are many types of prostate diseases...

[2] Context result 2: Prostate Disease. The three most common types of prostate disease are: Benign prostatic hyperplasia; Prostatitis; Prostate cancer;

[3] Context result 3: Diagnosis of prostate disease. Prostate disease is diagnosed using a variety of methods, including digital rectal examination (DRE), ultrasound, and biopsy.

[4] Context result 4: The easiest way to feel your prostate is from the back half of your perineum, near your rectum. The area mainly contains nerves and veins, not tissue. Your prostate should feel soft or rubbery.

[5] Context result 5: Common issues include enlarged prostate and cancer. ... In some cases, the disease can be deadly. Approximately 400,000 people around the world died of prostate cancer in 2022.

[6] Context result 6: have certain conditions such as heart and blood vessel disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, chronic kidney disease, or erectile dysfunction (ED) are not physically active; What are the complications of benign prostatic hyperplasia? An enlarged prostate can cause problems with emptying your bladder. As the prostate grows, it squeezes the urethra.

[7] Context result 7: The prostate gland wraps around the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the tip of the penis. As the prostate enlarges, it causes a gradual squeezing of the part of the urethra that runs through it, and this may cause difficulty urinating.

[8] Context result 8: Older men are at risk for prostate cancer as well, but this disease is much less common than BPH. More information about prostate cancer is available from the National Cancer Institute. For younger men, the most common prostate problem is prostatitis. For older men, it’s an enlarged prostate.

Common Signs and Symptoms of Prostate Disease

Prostate disease can manifest in various ways, and it's essential to be aware of the possible symptoms to seek medical attention if necessary.

• Difficulty urinating: This is one of the most common symptoms of prostate disease. It may include a slow or weak urinary stream, straining when peeing, feeling like you're not emptying your bladder fully, or prolonged dribbling after peeing.
• Frequent urination: Needing to urinate more often than usual, especially at night, can be a sign of an enlarged prostate or prostate cancer.
• Weak urine stream: A decrease in the force of the urinary stream may indicate an issue with the prostate gland.
• Blood in the urine or semen: This symptom can be a sign of prostate cancer or other prostate problems.
• Painful urination: Pain or discomfort while urinating can be a symptom of prostate disease, including prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate).
• Changes in bladder habits: If you experience changes in your bladder habits, such as needing to urinate more frequently or experiencing urgency, it may be a sign of an underlying issue.

Types of Prostate Disease

There are several types of prostate disease, including:

• Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH): An enlarged prostate gland that can cause urinary symptoms.
• Prostatitis: Inflammation of the prostate gland, which can be acute or chronic.
• Prostate cancer: A type of cancer that develops in the prostate gland.

When to Seek Medical Attention

If you experience any of these symptoms, it's essential to consult with a healthcare professional for proper evaluation and treatment. Early detection and treatment can significantly improve outcomes for prostate disease.

References:

• [1] Symptoms · Frequent or urgent need to pee, also called urination. · Peeing more often at night. · Trouble starting to pee. · Weak urine stream, ...
• [4] Signs and symptoms of prostate problems include enlarged prostate, difficulty starting or stopping urination, weak urine flow, straining when peeing, feeling like you're not emptying your bladder fully, prolonged dribbling after peeing, frequent urination, or waking up frequently during the night to pee.
• [6] Signs of a prostate problem may include: dribbling at the end of urination, incontinence, difficulty emptying the bladder, and needing to urinate frequently at night.
• [7] Symptoms of prostate disease include difficulty urinating, frequent urination, urgency, feeling as though the bladder can't be emptied fully, painful urination, and blood in the urine or urethra.
• [9] Oct 19, 2021 — Signs of prostate problems include frequent urination, waking up at night to urinate, blood in urine or semen, pain during urination or ...
• [11] Types. There are generally four types of prostatitis: Acute bacterial prostatitis, a bacterial infection of the prostate usually with sudden, severe symptoms Chronic bacterial prostatitis, ongoing or recurring bacterial infection usually with less severe symptoms Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome, ongoing or recurring pelvic pain and urinary tract symptoms with no evidence of ...

Medications for Prostate Disease

There are several types of medications available to treat prostate diseases, including benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer.

• Alpha-blockers: These medications relax the muscles in the prostate and bladder neck, making it easier to urinate. Examples include alfuzosin (Uroxatral), doxazosin (Cardura), silodosin (Rapaflo), tamsulosin (Flomax), and terazosin (Hytrin) [4].
• 5-alpha reductase inhibitors: These medications shrink the size of an enlarged prostate gland. Finasteride and dutasteride are two examples of this type of medication [5].
• Hormone therapy: This treatment involves stopping the production of testosterone, which can help slow down or stop the growth of prostate cancer cells. Medications such as leuprolide (Lupron Depot, Eligard), leuprolide mesylate (Camcevi), goserelin (Zoladex), and others are used for hormone therapy [11].
• Targeted therapies: These medications specifically target the proteins that help prostate cancer cells grow. Examples include abiraterone acetate, akeega (niraparib tosylate monohydrate and abiraterone acetate), and apalutamide [2].

Medications for Prostate Cancer

In addition to hormone therapy, there are other medications available to treat prostate cancer. These include:

• Androgen deprivation: This treatment involves stopping the production of testosterone, which can help slow down or stop the growth of prostate cancer cells.
• Other hormone therapies: Medications such as leuprolide (Lupron Depot, Eligard), leuprolide mesylate (Camcevi), goserelin (Zoladex), and others are used for hormone therapy.

Medications for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

For BPH, medications such as alfuzosin (Uroxatral), doxazosin (Cardura), silodosin (Rapaflo), tamsulosin (Flomax), and terazosin (Hytrin) are used to relax the muscles in the prostate and bladder neck, making it easier to urinate.

References

[1] Context result 4: A doctor can advise on the best medication for an individual. Options include alpha-blockers, inhibitors, and combination medications. [2] Context result 2: Oct 9, 2024 — Drugs Approved for Prostate Cancer · Abiraterone Acetate · Akeega (Niraparib Tosylate Monohydrate and Abiraterone Acetate) · Apalutamide ... [3] Context result 5: 5-alpha reductase inhibitors are used to treat larger prostate glands. They shrink the prostate gland if it's enlarged. Finasteride and dutasteride are two examples of this type of medication. [4] Context result 1: Alpha-blockers: These medications relax the muscles in the prostate and bladder neck, making it easier to urinate. Examples include alfuzosin (Uroxatral), doxazosin (Cardura), silodosin (Rapaflo), tamsulosin (Flomax), and terazosin (Hytrin) [4]. [5] Context result 3: These drugs can treat bone metastases as well as disease in other areas of the body. One treatment uses a type of radiation called 177 Lu-PSMA-617. It’s delivered to a prostate cancer protein that is called prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA).