Your Friend the Prostate
The walnut-shaped prostate sits right underneath the bladder and is wrapped around the urethra. The prostate, despite its location, has nothing to do with a man’s urinary apparatus. The prostate is where it is because it’s needed for ejaculation, and the semen passes through the same urethra as urine does. The prostate gland’s main job is to add special fluid to the sperm before it ejaculates from the penis. That’s why the prostate is where it’s at, and why prostate problems interfere with the male’s ability to have sex and urinate.
Three main types of prostate problems: enlargement, infection, and cancer. Prostate enlargement, called benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) is a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate. Although even men in their 20s can suffer from BPH, it normally only surfaces later in life. It’s estimated that fifty percent of all men will have BPH by reaching the age of 60, and a full ninety- percent will suffer from BPH by age 85. When the prostate enlarges outward, a man may not realize he has BPH unless it grows upward and puts pressure on the bladder. But when the prostate swells inward, squeezing the urethra, which passes through the center of the gland, he will certainly know there’s a problem. With the prostate constricting the urinary tube, a man can suffer from difficulty in urinating, straining to start urination, frequent urination, getting up multiple times at night to urinate, or urgency of urination.
The principal medical treatment for BPH symptoms is the non-invasive surgery called trans urethral resection of the prostate, also commonly referred to as reaming out the prostate. There are also drugs like Proscar used to shrink the prostate, but these drugs have not been that effective and have negative side effects. Prostate infections, or prostatitis, are fairly common in males after their teenage years. Symptoms of prostate inflections can include frequent and or painful urination, other urinary problems, or pain during sex.
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What Is A Prostate
The prostate is a round cluster of glands located at the bottom of the bladder, about midway between the rectum and the base of the penis. The prostate encircles the urethra, the tube that expels urine from the bladder by way of the penis. The ping pong ball sized gland produces most of the fluid in semen. Contraction of the muscles in the prostate squirt fluid from into the urethra tract during ejaculation. This fluid makes up the majority of the ejaculate and transports and nourishes the sperm.
prostate cancer is the leading cause of cancer related death for American men who don’t smoke. It is primarily a disease of aging. Men in their thirties and forties rarely develop prostate cancer, but the incidence grow steadily after the age of fifty-five. About 80 percent of all prostate cancer cases occur in men over the age of sixty-five. By the age of eighty, 4 out of 5 men have some degree of prostate cancer. Many experts feel that all men will eventually develop prostate cancer if they live long enough. The three most common prostate problems are prostatitis or inflection, prostate enlargement, and prostate cancer.
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Two vitamin E forms appear to reduce prostate cancer risk
Two vitamin E forms appear to reduce prostate cancer risk
High blood levels of either alpha-tocopherol or gamma-tocopherol, both forms of vitamin E, appeared to halve the risk of prostate cancer in a new analysis of the ATBC trial, which supports earlier results showing that the vitamin protects against the cancer, writes Dominique Patton.
Original findings from the ATBC study, which included nearly 30,000 Finnish men, showed that daily supplements of alpha-tocopherol (50mg) reduced the risk of prostate cancer by 32 per cent.
Men with the highest levels of alpha-tocopherol in their blood at baseline were 51 per cent less likely to develop prostate cancer than those with the lowest levels, they reported in yesteday’s issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (vol 97, no 5, pp396-399).
Similarly, men with the highest levels of gamma-tocopherol were 43 per cent less likely to develop the disease compared with men with the lowest levels.
“Further analyses indicated that the association of high serum tocopherols with low prostate cancer risk was stronger in the alpha-tocopherol–supplemented group than in those not receiving alpha-tocopherol,” note the authors.
Vitamin E is thought to fight cancer through its antioxidant activity, which combats the oxidative stress involved in cancer development. It also has other non-antioxidant properties, such as enhancement of the immune response, which may also play a role in the benefits seen.
In addition, the levels of vitamin E levels seen among the participants could be considered low and did not necessarily demonstrate support for gamma-tocopherol.
Gamma-tocopherol, found naturally in walnuts, sesame seeds and corn, was found to hold back the proliferation of lab-cultured human prostate and lung cancer cells in research at Purdue University published in December.
Previous research by the same team found that gamma-tocopherol inhibits inflammation, which had already been implicated in cancer development.
The highest tertile of alpha-tocopherol levels in the study were 15.78mg and the highest tertile of gamma-tocopherol was 1.08mg.
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Tomatoes for Prostate Health
More and more medical studies indicate that the antioxidants in vegetables, particularly tomatoes and broccoli, can lower prostate cancer risk, while foods with animal fats increase risk. While ongoing studies are still assessing the value of antioxidant supplements, food scientists say they are already comfortable advocating that men eat a more vegetable-based diet to lower their risk of prostate cancer, not to mention heart disease and colon cancer.
There is also growing observational evidence that both tomato and broccoli consumption helps reduce risk of prostate cancer. In the tomato products, attention has focused on nutrients called carotenoids, particularly lycopene. Lycopene is the major red carotenoid pigment found in tomatoes. In broccoli, a number of sulfur compounds are thought to detoxify carcinogens. Both of these are thought to benefit prostate health. Nutritionist familiar with prostate health recommend seven to ten servings of tomatoes and tomato based products a week, which is still only one serving a day. When counting tomato juices and raw tomatoes and ever popular pasta products, that is not difficult to reach this level. In fact, most men get more than one serving when they consume pasta or even pizza. It’s that easy.
Preparation matters! Carotenoids are very poorly absorbed from raw foods, so some heating really helps bring out the benefits. Consumption with a little healthy fat helps, too. For example take beta-carotene from carrots. Eating a carrot raw leads to 1 or 2 percent beta-carotene absorption. Steaming those carrots a little bit and add a little bit of oil in there, you'll get much more absorption of the beneficial carotenoids. The same is true for tomatoes. By overcooking tomatoes, for example, by simmering a tomato sauce for hours, you’ll begin to break down the lycopene. Everything in moderation please!
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The Prostate Biopsy
For men 50 and over, digital rectal exams, or DREs, has become a routine part of the annual checkup, as have prostate specific antigen, or PSA tests. These tests can uncover signs of prostate cancer. But before a doctor can make the final diagnosis, they will use an another procedure: the prostate biopsy. To confirm the presence of prostate cancer, a doctor uses a needle to collect a sample of cells from the prostate. A pathologist, an expert who can distinguish cancerous from non-cancerous cells, then examines this sample. With more and more men undergoing biopsies, doctors are making every effort to ensure the procedure is as safe, comfortable, and accurate as possible.
A prostate biopsy is a very simple procedure. The whole process takes about 15 minutes and doesn't require anesthesia. The doctor will insert a slender ultrasound device into the patient’s rectum, and the device will emit sound waves to produce an image of the prostate. The process is referred to as transrectal ultrasound or TRUS. Guided by the ultrasound image, the doctor will slide a tiny needle through the rectal wall and into the prostate gland. The important word here is tiny, a prostate biopsy needles are only 1.2 millimeters in diameter.
Prostate tumors tend to be extremely small and can be located about anywhere on the prostate. Due to this reason, doctors take samples from several areas of the prostate gland. The most common approach is to take six different samples. However, in some cases, doctors will take as many as 47 samples in a search for cancer. This approach can uncover tumors that regular biopsies might miss. The comprehensive procedure requires that the patients be anesthetized first.
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The Prostate Basics
Basic Facts about the Prostate Gland: The prostate is a sex gland in males. It is around the size of a walnut, and encircles the neck of the bladder and urethra, the tube that expels urine from the bladder. It is partly glandular and partly muscular, with ducts opening into the prostatic portion of the urethra. The prostate is made up of three lobes: a centrally located lobe with one lobe on each side. The prostate gland secretes a slightly alkaline fluid that forms part of the seminal fluid, a fluid that carries sperm during ejaculation.
There are several benign prostate problems that develop in men. Types of non-cancerous prostate problems, or clinical conditions of the prostate gland that are not cancer, including infections, inflammations, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) - an enlarged prostate These problems are quite common and may happen to men of all ages. Specific Non-Cancerous Prostate Problems include prostatism – this term describes any condition of the prostate that causes interference with the flow of urine from the bladder. Prostatitis - an inflamed condition of the prostate gland. It can be accompanied by pain, discomfort, frequent or infrequent urination, and sometimes a low-grade fever. Prostatalgia - a term that indicates pain in the prostate gland. Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)- the condition of an enlarged prostate. BPH is the main non-cancerous prostate problem. It can cause discomfort and create problems urinating. Although it is not cancer, BPH symptoms are very similar to those of prostate cancer. These include impotence, or the inability to have or keep an erection, and urinary incontinence, or the loss of bladder control.
The fear of having prostate cancer can be devastating to most men. prostate cancer is most successfully treated when discovered early. Consider these statistics supplied from the American Cancer Society: Nearly 80 percent of all prostate cancers is discovered while they are still localized, or confined to the prostate. The five-year survival rate for men diagnosed with prostate tumors that are discovered at this early stage is a whopping 100 percent. Testing works!
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The Man Killer: Prostate Cancer
prostate cancer is the male equivalent of breast cancer, which plagues millions of women. Fortunately, a little precaution can reduce the dangers of prostate cancer, and might even help save your life. It is crucial for men to pay attention to their health, especially as they age. prostate cancer is the third major cause of cancer-related deaths in men. Many men do not realize the severity of this hazardous disease and fail to receive regular prostate checkups.
Prostate cancer starts with the growth of a malignant tumor inside the prostate gland and spreads by extending into the bladder, seminal vesicles, and peritoneal cavity. It eventually metastasizes to the bones, lymph nodes, lungs, liver, and kidneys. The cause of prostate cancer is unknown, although recent studies find a small relation between increased testosterone levels and high dietary fat intake. Prostate cancer is rarely occurs in men under 40 years of age. The highest level of occurrence is greatest in African-American men over 60 years old. Increased occurrence is also associated environmental exposure to cadmium, a metallic element. The lowest incidence of prostate cancer occurs in vegetarians.
The cancer is classified based on the tumor's aggressiveness and the degree it affects surrounding tissue. Most prostate cancers are staged or characterized by utilizing the Whitmore-Jewett system (A B C D system). The system groups tumors using the following scale: A: Tumor that cannot be detected by touch but only through microscopic tissue sampling. B: Tumor that can be detected digital inspection and is still confined to the prostate. C: Spreading of the tumor beyond the prostate gland. D: The cancer has advanced to regional lymph nodes.
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Slim Down and Pump Up for Prostate Cancer Protection
Men who have more lean body mass are less likely to get prostate cancer, according to a study in the Journal of Urology (2005;174:2169–73). Previous studies on the relationship between body size and prostate cancer have yielded conflicting results. The new study compared men with prostate cancer and their cancer-free male siblings to better understand the influence of weight, height, body mass, and body fat on prostate-cancer risk. They also looked at what influence, if any, body composition had on the aggressiveness of the cancer. Most of the men were in their early 60s.
The case-control study included 413 families: 439 men with prostate cancer (cases) and 479 cancer-free siblings (controls). The aggressiveness of prostate cancer in cases was graded on a scale of one to five based on microscopic examination of prostate tissue samples, or biopsies. The degree of cancerous infiltration throughout the gland, known as the Gleason score, can give a fairly accurate picture of the stage of cancer development when considered together with levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA) in the blood. (Outside of a study setting, a urologist would also perform a rectal examination of the prostate gland to assess its size, shape, and texture.)
Lean body mass, the total body weight not including fat, is typically higher in people who engage in regular aerobic and strength-building exercise, though it is also influenced by genetic predisposition. The researchers found that men with higher lean body mass had a lower incidence of prostate cancer than did men with low lean body mass. Researchers also found that prostate cancer was less aggressive in men with high lean body mass. Simple measurements of weight relative to height (calculated as the body mass index) did not correlate with cancer incidence or aggressiveness in this study, suggesting that something about lean body mass itself was protective.
The protective effects of lean body mass against prostate cancer may be due to comparatively higher levels of androgens, like testosterone, when lean body mass is higher. Low testosterone in aging men can promote conditions in the prostate that contribute to cancer development, and other studies have correlated low testosterone levels with more aggressive cancer. Comparing siblings makes the data from this study more useful than many others, as it significantly reduced the possibility that the findings could be confounded by genetic and early-life environmental factors. One limitation of the study was that it derived its results from a primarily white population, and therefore may not apply to other ethnic groups.
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Side Effects of Prostate Treatment
Improvements in treatment over the years have significantly reduced the severity of side effects of prostate cancer treatments. It is still important to understand how and why these side effects occur, and to how to minimize how they will affect daily life. There are six major categories of side effects that are normally associated with prostate cancer treatments: urinary dysfunction, bowel dysfunction, erectile dysfunction, loss of fertility, effects due to the loss of testosterone, and side effects of chemotherapy. Depending on the treatment strategy pursued some or all of these side effects might be present. It’s also important to realize that not all these symptoms are normal, and that some require immediate care.
Urinary Dysfunction encompasses both urinary incontinence, which can range from some leaking to complete loss of bladder control, and irritative voiding symptoms, including increased urinary frequency, increased urinary urgency, and pain upon urination. For men undergoing prostatectomy, incontinence is the main urinary side effect. Bowel Dysfunction includes diarrhea, rectal bleeding, and the inability to control bowel movements. All of these side effects are more common following external beam radiotherapy. During prostatectomy, damage to the rectum is unusually rare, and the bowel changes noticed in the first few weeks following surgery are likely the result of the body adjusting to the increased abdominal space due to the loss of the prostate. Radiation therapy can cause significant damage to the rectum, resulting in some or all of the symptoms listed above.
Erectile Dysfunction is experienced by nearly all men for the first few months after treatment. The reason for this is simple: the nerves and blood vessels that control the physical aspect of an erection are incredibly delicate, and any trauma to the area will unfortunately result in changes to the natural order. Fertility is always a problem after prostate cancer treatment. It is nearly impossible for a man to retain his ability to father children through sexual intercourse after the initial treatment. The loss of semen following surgery makes ejaculation impossible, so the sperm cannot physically leave the body to reach the woman’s egg for fertilization.
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Screening Tests for Prostate
prostate cancer is the second leading cause of death in men after lung cancer, and the most common cancer in men. Fortunately, since most prostate cancer is slow growing, only 30 percent of men diagnosed with prostate cancer will die from it. So far, research has not confirmed that early detection of prostate cancer leads to treatment that will prolong life. Testing is needed to screen for prostate cancer to improve treatment.
There are two methods used to screen for prostate cancer in men. First there is a blood test used to measure PSA (prostate specific antigen), a protein produced by the prostate gland. PSA levels tend to rise when prostate cancer is present. Unfortunately, the test has both high false positives and high false negatives making results questionable. The test also cannot distinguish if the prostate cancer is slow growing and unlikely to cause symptoms, or a highly aggressive form. The other important screening test is the digital rectal exam (DRE), where a doctor inserts a gloved finger into the rectum to feel for lumps or irregularity of the prostate. The DRE has an 85 percent false positive rate, where abnormalities felt but cancer is not present. If either the PSA or DRE is abnormal, further evaluation is warranted. A prostate biopsy may need to be performed, using a needle, which is inserted into the prostate through the rectum. Biopsy is the only truly effective test that can prove if cancer cells are present.
Prostate cancer can be treated by a variety of means. The treatment decision must be based on the appearance and spread of the cancer, general health condition, one's symptoms, and how each individual weighs the potential risks of the different therapies offered. No therapy has yet proven to extend life, although some treatments may reduce symptoms making life much more bearable. Options include watchful waiting, radiation therapy, prostatectomy, and hormone therapy. Each option has potential and serious side effects.
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