What Else Can Cause These Symptoms
As men get older their prostate gland enlarges. It isn’t normally cancer. But instead a condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia . BPH is when the prostate gland grows and presses on the urethra. The urethra is the tube that empties out urine from the bladder.
BPH does not develop into cancer. But you can have an enlarged prostate at the same time as having areas in the prostate gland that contain cancer cells.
See your doctor if you have any of the changes described here.
The changes don’t mean that you have cancer but it is important to get them checked so your doctor can help with you cope with them.
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The purpose of the Southern Cross Medical Library is to provide information of a general nature to help you better understand certain medical conditions. Always seek specific medical advice for treatment appropriate to you. This information is not intended to relate specifically to insurance or healthcare services provided by Southern Cross. For more articles go to the Medical Library index page.
How Prostate Health Supplements Help To Reduce Enlarged Prostate
Despite the fact that a healthy diet is associated with prostate health, some men still suffer from enlarged prostatic glands. The good news is that there are a variety of supplements that are effective in reducing enlarged prostate symptoms. Among these supplements are plant extracts called lycopene and herbal medications like pygeum. These ingredients are safe and can help patients feel relief from enlarged or symptomatic male genitals.
Some prostate health supplements are designed to treat the symptoms of enlarged prostate. For example, saw palmetto extracts have been linked to reduced prostate volumes, but they are not considered a cure. Other herbal therapies, including beta-sitosterol extracts, have been suggested to help men with enlarged urethra. Despite the mixed results of these treatments, they are still effective in alleviating some of the symptoms of enlarged prostate.
Another prostate health supplement to reduce enlarged prostate is rye grass pollen. The brand name is Cernilton, and it has shown modest results in treating symptomatic BPH. However, more studies are needed to determine whether or not it is effective. Its side effects include skin sensitivities, respiratory allergies, and gastrointestinal disturbances. Besides dietary changes, men can improve their overall health by quitting smoking and maintaining a healthy BMI.
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What Is Bph Or An Enlarged Prostate Gland
As men age, the prostate gland will grow and may begin to block the channel through which the urine flows. It is like a tunnel whose walls gradually began to thicken and grow narrowing the roadway and causing traffic to slow down. However, it is not only the volume of tissue that causes obstruction but there is also increased muscle tension within the prostate which squeezes the channel and causes urinary symptoms. Because of this, though larger prostate glands typically cause obstruction, prostate size itself does not always predict the severity of urinary symptoms even small prostates can cause a blockage.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH, is a common condition that increasingly affects men as they age.
How Is Each Condition Diagnosed
Youll see a specialist called a urologist to diagnose BPH or prostate cancer. Doctors use many of the same tests to diagnose both of these conditions.
- Prostate-specific antigen test:This blood test detects PSA, a protein your prostate gland makes. When your prostate grows, it produces more of this protein. A high PSA level can only tell your doctor that your prostate has grown. It cant tell for sure that you have BPH or prostate cancer. Youll need more tests to confirm the diagnosis.
- Digital rectal exam : Your doctor will insert a gloved, lubricated finger into your rectum. This test can show if your prostate is enlarged or abnormally shaped. Youll need more tests to find out if you have BPH or prostate cancer.
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Do Supplements Help With Bph
The world is over-medicated, and people spend billions of dollars on prescription drugs each year.
However, several studies establish that the effectiveness of drugs is questionable. Many drugs often only mask the symptoms without fixing the root cause of the disease.
The truth is that prevention is way better than cure, and supplements are a better option. They are natural therapies that are much safer and more effective.
Tests Used To Check The Prostate
This first step lets your doctor hear and understand the “story” of your prostate concerns. You’ll be asked whether you have symptoms, how long you’ve had them, and how much they affect your lifestyle. Your personal medical history also includes any risk factors, pain, fever, or trouble passing urine. You may be asked to give a urine sample for testing.
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In Vitro Effects Of Dhea On Prostate Cancer Cell Growth
Scientists at the New York University Medical Center, Tuxedo, NY, studied the effect of DHEA on the proliferation of three human prostate cancer cell lines, and cell cultures of rat prostate carcinomas. They reported that DHEA inhibited growth of the human prostate cancer cell lines by approximately 10%, 25%, and 80% at concentrations of 1, 10, and 22.5 ug/ml, respectively. DHEA also inhibited growth of rat prostate carcinoma cultures , by 11-40% at 1 ug/ml, 25-54% at 10 ug/ml, and 55-77% at 22.5 ug/ml. The scientists concluded that DHEA inhibits growth of human and rat prostate cancer cells in a dose-related fashion, that DHEA acts as a chemopreventive agent by direct growth inhibition of prostate cancer cells, and that DHEA should be considered for further research for prostate cancer chemoprevention in humans.
Fig 6Changes in DHEA, DHEA-S, testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, and androstenedione after 400 mg oral DHEA in an delderly man
The Difference Between Prostate Cancer And Bph
Doru Paul, MD, is triple board-certified in medical oncology, hematology, and internal medicine. He is an associate professor of clinical medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College and attending physician in the Department of Hematology and Oncology at the New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center.
Both prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia can cause an enlarged prostate, but beyond causing common symptoms, the similarities end there.
During your yearly physical, your healthcare provider might do a rectal exam or request you get a blood test to check your prostate-specific antigen level checked. If your prostate is enlarged or your PSA test comes back high, your healthcare provider may do a biopsy to determine if your abnormal results are caused by prostate cancer or BPH. Here’s what you need to know about the two conditions and their similarities and differences.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Bph
Since the prostate gland surrounds the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of the body, it is easy to see that enlargement of the prostate can lead to blockage of the tube. You may develop:
- Slowness or dribbling of your urinary stream
- Hesitancy or difficulty starting to urinate
- Feeling of urgency or sudden need to urinate
- Need to get up at night to urinate
As symptoms progress, you may develop:
- Damage to your kidneys from back pressure caused by retaining large amounts of extra urine in the bladder
- Sudden blockage of the urinary tube, making urination impossible
What Are The Symptoms Of Bph And Prostate Cancer
BPH and prostate cancer have similar symptoms, so its sometimes hard to tell the two conditions apart. As the prostate grows for any reason, it squeezes the urethra. This pressure prevents urine from getting down your urethra and out of your body. Prostate cancer symptoms often dont start until the cancer has grown large enough to put pressure on the urethra.
Symptoms of both BPH and prostate cancer include:
- an urgent need to urinate
- feeling the urge to urinate many times during the day and night
- trouble starting to urinate or having to push to release urine
- weak or dribbling urine stream
- urine flow that stops and starts
- feeling like your bladder is never fully empty
If you have prostate cancer, you might also notice these symptoms:
- painful or burning urination
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Is Prostate Cancer Curable
Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer among men, second only to skin cancer. Learning that one has any type of cancer isnt easy, but the first question on most patients minds after diagnosis is, is prostate cancer curable?
The short answer is yes, prostate cancer can be cured, when detected and treated early. The vast majority of prostate cancer cases are discovered in the early stages, making the tumors more likely to respond to treatment. Treatment doesnt always have to mean surgery or chemotherapy, either. Non-invasive radiation therapy can effectively treat prostate cancer in the case of Pasadena CyberKnife, radiosurgery treatment generally takes less than a week, and you can typically resume your normal activities the same day you receive treatment.
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Prostate Cancer Lives As It Is Born: Slow
- By Daniel Pendick, Former Executive Editor, Harvard Men’s Health Watch
This year, more than 238,000 American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. In most cases, the cancer consists of small knots of abnormal cells growing slowly in the walnut-sized prostate gland. In many men, the cancer cells grow so slowly that they never break free of the gland, spread to distant sites, and pose a serious risk to health and longevity.
Evidence is growing that early treatment with surgery or radiation prevents relatively few men from ultimately dying from prostate cancer, while leaving many with urinary or erectile problems and other side effects. As a result, more men may be willing to consider a strategy called active surveillance, in which doctors monitor low-risk cancers closely and consider treatment only when the disease appears to make threatening moves toward growing and spreading.
This week, a study by Harvard researchers found that the aggressiveness of prostate cancer at diagnosis appears to remain stable over time for most men. If thats true, then prompt treatment can be reserved for the cancers most likely to pose a threat, whereas men can reasonably choose to watch and wait in other cases.
If you have chosen active surveillance, then this could possibly make you feel more confident in your decision, says Kathryn L. Penney, Sc.D., instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School and the lead author of a report published today in the journal Cancer Research.
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Is Dhea Contraindicated In Men With Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy Or Prostate Cancer
DHEA is the most abundant steroid hormone in the body. It is also one of the most significant age-related biomarkers, which predictably declines with age in even the healthiest of people . Abnormally low levels of DHEA have been reported to be related to a number of diseases, including cancer, diabetes, coronary artery disease, obesity, and Alzheimers. Supplemental DHEA has been reported in study after study to have immunoregulatory, anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, anti-obesity and anti-stress activity, and to be involved in the prevention of atherosclerosis, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, Alzheimers disease and multiple sclerosis.
Nevertheless, one controversy plagues many physicians, their patients, and consumers who are considering the addition of DHEA to their supplement regimens. This controversy involves whether men with prostate diseaseeither benign prostatic hypertrophy or prostate cancershould take DHEA. This question stems from the much-speculated possibility that DHEA could aggravate both conditions, based on the belief that DHEA is converted in the body into testosterone, and that testosterone, and/or its metabolite, dihydrotestosterone causes or worsens BPH and prostate cancer. Lets examine each of these issues separately and review some of the laboratory and clinical studies that are relevant to these questions.
Fig 2.Incidence of BPH in men with age
Psa Levels In Bph And Prostate Cancer
Tissues in the prostate make a protein called Prostate-Specific Antigen, or PSA. Your doctor may recommend a PSA blood test. It identifies high levels of PSA that can be caused by prostate cancer or BPH. This test is usually done to look for early signs of prostate cancer. However, since both BPH and prostate cancer increase PSA levels, a PSA test alone may not be enough to determine whether you have prostate cancer.5 A prostate biopsy is another important test used to diagnose prostate cancer. You can also look for other symptoms, like blood in your urine, that are more common in prostate cancer than BPH.
To get a better understanding of prostate cancer screening and the PSA test, read this article and speak with your doctor.
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How Common Is Bph
The National Institutes of Health has suggested that up to 75% of men over the age 70 will be affected by this condition. Typically, patients present with gradual worsening of urinary symptoms but occasionally have an acute and dramatic change in their condition such as a complete inability to urinate or severe pain with urination caused by an infection. BPH is not cancer although occasionally prostate cancer can also cause urinary symptoms.
How Are Prostate Cancer And Erectile Dysfunction Related
If you have issues with your prostate, a general workup can include urine tests, bloodwork, and a physical exam. This exam usually consists of a digital rectal exam , where a doctor will feel your prostate from inside your anal cavity. If the prostate feels smooth and round, thats generally a sign that you probably only have BPH. Otherwise, you may need to undergo further testing, and cancer may be a concern. Men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer worry about many areas of their health. I have heard many of these questions over the years: How bad is it?, What options do I have?, and What are possible complications of treatment?
Currently, the mainstays of treatment for prostate cancer are anti-testosterone therapy, surgery, and radiation therapy. Each of these has pros and cons related to treatment success and long-term effects on the body. However, one of the most common complications for all three of these options is erectile dysfunction. We talked about how anti-testosterone therapy can affect erections when we discussed BPH treatments above. Lets now look at prostate surgery and radiation therapy.
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What Causes Prostate Cancer
Researchers do not know exactly what causes prostate cancer. But they have found some risk factors and are trying to learn just how these factors might cause prostate cells to become cancer cells.
On a basic level, prostate cancer is caused by changes in the DNA of a normal prostate cell. DNA is the chemical in our cells that makes up our genes, which control how our cells function. We usually look like our parents because they are the source of our DNA. But DNA affects more than just how we look.
Some genes control when our cells grow, divide into new cells, and die:
- Certain genes that help cells grow, divide, and stay alive are called oncogenes.
- Genes that normally keep cell growth under control, repair mistakes in DNA, or cause cells to die at the right time are called tumor suppressor genes.
Cancer can be caused by DNA mutations that keep oncogenes turned on, or that turn off tumor suppressor genes. These types of gene changes can lead to cells growing out of control.
DNA changes can either be inherited from a parent or can be acquired during a persons lifetime.
How To Choose The Right Supplements To Improve Prostate Health
Using a supplement to help maintain prostate health is a good idea. Studies show that many products on the market contain ingredients that improve the function of the prostate. Some of these compounds have been found to reduce the risk of certain types of prostate cancer. Other prostate health supplements may contain natural substances that promote healthy prostate function. Here are some ways to choose the right supplements. For example, many of these products contain lycopene, a natural chemical found in tomatoes. It has been shown to neutralize free radicals and promote less inflammation in the body.
The best way to choose the right prostate health supplements is to do research and find out how they work. The FDA reviews new medicines to determine if they are safe. However, one third of medicines are not safe after approval. While it is important to make sure your supplement is safe, manufacturers are not obligated to make any health claims prior to release on the market. To help you avoid buying fake products, you should choose a product that is made from all-natural ingredients. Total Health for the Prostate is an excellent example of an all-natural formula. It contains beta-sitosterol, quercetin, zinc, and boron.
Here are 6 best supplements for prostate health you must see:
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How Is Bph Diagnosed
After evaluating your medical history and giving you a complete physical, your doctor will perform a digital rectal examination.
Because the prostate gland is in front of the rectum, the doctor can feel if the back of the gland has any abnormalities during this examination. This enables the doctor to estimate the size of the prostate and to detect any hard areas that could be cancer.
Several studies may be done to help diagnose your condition:
- A urine test called a urinalysis
- A seven-question BPH Symptom Score Index survey to evaluate the severity of your symptoms
- A flow study to see if the urine stream is slow compared with normal flow
- A study to detect how much urine is left in the bladder after urination
Bph And Other Conditions
There are other conditions that affect the prostate that can have similar symptoms as prostate cancer. Those conditions include benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostatitis. BPH is a noncancerous enlargement of the prostate gland caused by aging, testosterone and genetics.
BPH is not cancer but has similar symptoms.
Another condition is prostatitis, an inflammation of the prostate gland that occurs from bacterial infection. Roughly half of all men will be affected by prostatitis during their lives.
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