Download What is the prostate gland?

What is the prostate gland?
The prostate is a gland found only in men. It sits at the base of the bladder, close to the rectum (back
passage). The tube that you pass urine through (the urethra) runs through the centre of the prostate.
The prostate gland can get bigger with age, and may press on the urethra, sometimes this causes
problems passing urine.
What is prostate cancer
Prostate cancer happens when cells in the prostate gland change and start to grow quickly. These cancer
cells can affect how the prostate works normally, and after a long period of time they may spread to other
organs of the body.
Prostate cancer generally occurs in older men. It is often a slow growing cancer and problems may not
occur for many years. Small areas of cancer cells within the prostate gland are common, especially so in
older men. Sometimes these cancer cells do not grow very quickly and they do not cause any problems
or symptoms. In other cases prostate cancer cells grow more quickly and can spread to other parts of the
body.
How common is prostate cancer?
In Ireland, prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men, after skin cancer. Each year over
3,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer here. This means that 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with
prostate cancer during their lifetime. Although there are many men with this disease, most men do not die
from it.
Common Prostate Problems
Enlarged Prostate or Benign Prostate Hyperplasia (BPH) is a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate
gland. This simply means the prostate has grown in size. This is common in middle aged and elderly
men. This is not a life-threatening problem but for some men it can cause urinary symptoms, some of
which need treatment.
Typical symptoms of an enlarged prostate include:
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A reduced or slower flow of urine
Taking a few moments longer to get the flow started
Needing to pass urine more frequently, especially at night
Dribbling urine
Needing to rush to the toilet
Feeling of not emptying your bladder fully
If you are troubled by any of these symptoms you should visit your doctor for an assessment. If you see
any blood in your urine you should see your doctor for a full assessment.
Prostatitis – Inflammation of the prostate gland
This can be caused by an infection which needs treating with antibiotics although infection is not always
present. Symptoms of prostatitis include pain around the back passage, in the testicles or in the area
around the testicles. Some men experience pain on passing urine.
Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosis in men. In 2007 there were 2720 men diagnosed
with prostate cancer in Ireland. Prostate cancer is commoner in older men and often grows very slowly,
for many men it doesn´t cause any symptoms at all. In some men prostate cancer grows more quickly
and needs treatment to prevent it spreading outside the prostate gland. If men with prostate cancer do
experience symptoms they are similar to those above.
If you are concerned about prostate cancer you should discuss your concerns with your doctor.
Screening
At present, there is no screening program in Ireland for prostate cancer. There has been much debate
and research among health care workers about the possible benefits of a screening program. The
difficulties around screening for prostate cancer occur because the PSA test is not a specific test for
prostate cancer. It can only indicate that a man may have a problem with his prostate gland which needs
further investigation. Up to two thirds of men with a raised PSA do not have prostate cancer, therefore
routine PSA testing of all men could lead to much anxiety and alarm.
Men need to make an informed choice on an individual basis whether or not to have their PSA tested.
Read the section on What Tests Might I have? And Who Should Have A PSA Test? to help you make
your mind up.
Our booklet 'Understanding the PSA Test' (PDF) will help you to weigh up the pros and cons of this
decision. You could talk it over with your doctor too.
Who should consider having a PSA test?
You should discuss if you should have a PSA test or not with your GP. Men over 50 should consider the
risk factors listed below along with the advantages and disadvantages of having a PSA test.
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If you are concerned about prostate cancer would you rather know you have cancer, or not know?
If your PSA was normal would you be reassured?
If you are found to have a slow growing prostate cancer and do not need to have to have treatment would
you rather know you have cancer, or not know?
If you have a raised PSA test and are advised to go on to have a prostate biopsy would you do so?
We suggest you think about the questions, you may want to talk them over with your GP or call us on
Freefone 1800 200 700 to discuss then with a specially trained nurse.
Where do I have a PSA Blood Test?
If you are considering having a PSA test it should be done with your GP after full discussion with you
about the pros and cons of the PSA test. Your GP will send the blood sample to a hospital for
measurement. It may take a week or two before your GP gets the result.
Currently best practice is for PSA testing to be done in this way and not be replaced by home PSA test
kits. By attending your GP your prostate can be assessed by both the PSA test and also by digital (finger)
rectal (back passage) examination.
By attending your GP you can discuss prosate cancer risk factors in relation to yourself as well as discuss
any concerns you may have about the test and its results when they are available with a medical
prosfessional.
Advantages of having a PSA Test
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It may pick up an early prostate cancer, before you get symptoms.
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It can be used to monitor men at higher risk of getting prostate cancer.
It may pick up a non-cancerous prostate problem which is causing symptoms which can then be treated.
A normal result may reassure you.
Repeat tests (each year) can identify changes which may show there is a problem in your prostate gland.
It may pick up a high risk (faster growing) prostate cancer at an earlier stage which may prevent the
cancer from becoming advanced.
Disadvantages of having a PSA test
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Around two thirds of men with a raised PSA test do not have prostate cancer.
It will not pick up all prostate cancers. Some men with prostate cancer have a normal PSA level.
If your PSA is raised you may need further tests, which can cause anxiety and have some side effects.
It cannot tell you whether a prostate cancer is slow or fast growing. A slow growing cancer may not cause
any symptoms or shorten your life and may not need treatment.
If you are diagnosed with a slow growing prostate cancer that does not need treating you may be anxious
about the lack of treatment.
A normal result does not mean you will not get prostate cancer in the future.
Call our National Cancer Helpline
Freephone 1800 200 700 to talk to a specialist cancer nurse
It's open Monday-Thursday from 9am to 7pm and Friday from 9am to 5pm
http://www.cancer.ie/cancer-information/prostate-cancer/about
Accessed – 23/09/2013