Most of the time it's fair to say that when you talk about men's health the first thing that comes to mind is prostate cancer.
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There's a lot more to a man than just a prostate gland, but such a small and inconspicuous gland can cause a bloke significant distress if he is unsure about when to start testing for prostate cancer and what the signs and symptoms and test results all mean.
The topic of prostate cancer can be very complex, too complex for an easy read, but your local GP would be more than happy to answer your questions during a consultation.
The normal prostate gland is about the size of a walnut and shaped like a donut.
It sits under the bladder and surrounds the tube that passes urine from the bladder. Its main role is to produce fluid that protects and feeds sperm.
There are three main problems that can occur with the prostate.
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There are three main problems that can occur with the prostate.
Enlargement of the prostate. This is the most common disease that affects the prostate gland. As we grow older the prostate grows, the important thing to remember is this is not cancer. It is a wide spread problem that increases with age, and can cause urinary symptoms such as frequency and the need to pass urine more than twice a night.
Prostatitis is inflammation and or infection of the prostate gland. It can be very painful and have a major effect on quality of life. Prostatitis is not a life-threatening condition. Prostatitis can affect men at any age and is often treated with antibiotics.
Prostate cancer occurs mainly in men over the age of fifty. Unlike most other cancers, small areas of cancer cells in the prostate are common in many men. For many men, these cancer cells may be very slow growing and not present any problems or symptoms and may not be life threatening. In other cases, the cancer cells can grow more rapidly and may spread to other parts of the body.
The presence of prostate cancer is normally suspected if there is a positive result from either a blood test (PSA test) and or a digital rectal examination (DRE). These tests are preliminary tests and are not considered diagnostic.
To diagnose prostate cancer with certainty a biopsy of the prostate needs to be performed. Both of these preliminary tests the PSA test and the DRE are not perfect tests. For the best result both tests should be performed together.
If you wish to discuss any issues regarding this topic or to get tested then it is recommended that you make an appointment with your local GP.