Can A Swollen Prostate If Untreated Cause Prostate Cancer
We have no evidence of that. Theyre completely unrelated problems. The area of the prostate that causes urinary symptoms is usually a different part of the prostate than where cancer is likeliest to develop.;
Doctors divide the prostate into different zones. The zone that is associated with BPHand the majority of prostate growthis the transition zone. Prostate cancer occurs there much less often than in the peripheral zone, which is the outer area.;
What Do The Results Mean
PSA levels may be above the baseline for various reasons other than prostate cancer.
Other factors that can raise PSA levels include:
- older age
- an enlarged prostate â because of benign prostatic hyperplasia , for example
- prostatitis, which is inflammation and swelling of the prostate
Also, people with obesity may have lower PSA readings.
In addition, some medications may reduce PSA levels, including:
- 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, which can help treat BPH
- aspirin, which some people take regularly as a blood thinner
- statins, which help manage cholesterol levels
- thiazide diuretics, a kind of water pill that can help reduce high blood pressure
Some herbal medicines and supplements can also lower PSA levels. Tell the doctor about any medications and supplements before undergoing the test.
High PSA levels alone do not indicate cancer. However, if a DRE also reveals changes, a doctor may recommend a biopsy for a more accurate result.
The PCA3 is another test for prostate cancer that doctors use in some circumstances. Find out more.
Prostate Specific Antigen Test
A blood test called a prostate specific antigen test measures the level of PSA in the blood. PSA is a substance made by the prostate. The levels of PSA in the blood can be higher in men who have prostate cancer. The PSA level may also be elevated in other conditions that affect the prostate.
As a rule, the higher the PSA level in the blood, the more likely a prostate problem is present. But many factors, such as age and race, can affect PSA levels. Some prostate glands make more PSA than others.
PSA levels also can be affected by
- Certain medical procedures.
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Ruling Out Prostate Cancer
If you have symptoms of BPH, your doctor might also test for prostate cancer. An early examination is important because only a comprehensive exam will determine whether you have BPH, which is a benign condition, or whether you have prostate cancer, which is best to diagnose early. Important tests for detecting prostate cancer include a digital rectal examination and prostate-specific antigen test.
- Digital rectal examination : During this test, your urologist will feel your prostate. The exam shows whether your prostate is hard or asymmetrical, both of which can be signs of cancer, or soft, which is less likely to indicate cancer. Your urologist will insert a lubricated, gloved finger into your rectum. If your doctor feels anything that may indicate prostate cancer, you may need to have more tests to make an accurate diagnosis.
- Prostate-Specific Antigen Test: This blood test measures a protein produced by the cells of the prostate gland. It is always done and evaluated in conjunction with a DRE.
It is important to recognize that a high PSA reading alone does not mean that you have cancer. An elevated PSA could be a sign of a number of conditions, including BPH, or prostatitis, an inflammation of the prostate. There is no evidence that prostatitis and BPH cause cancer, but it is possible for a man to have one or both of these conditions and to develop prostate cancer as well.
What Do You Say To Patients Diagnosed With Prostate Cancer
Something I say to my patients a lot is that, in treating prostate cancer, we end up trying to extend your;quantity;of life at the cost of your;quality;of life. And so, at some point, if the quantity is extended a lot, and we can minimize the effect on quality, that makes sense, but the equation is different for every man. How much decrease in quality of life are you willing to accept if were going to extend your life?
Realistically, a lot of guys who are 70 dont have any sexual function;anyway, so thats not a huge loss for them. As men get older theres definitely an increased chance of having erectile dysfunction ; the guys who have sexual function over 70 are very keen on preserving it. Even for the guys who dont have good sexual function, who are on Viagra, for them its often even more important to preserve what sexual function they have.
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Imaging Tests For Prostate Cancer
Imaging tests use x-rays, magnetic fields, sound waves, or radioactive substances to create pictures of the inside of your body. One or more imaging tests might be used:
- To look for cancer in the prostate
- To help the doctor see the prostate during certain procedures
- To look for spread of prostate cancer to other parts of the body
Which tests you might need will depend on the situation. For example, a prostate biopsy is typically done with transrectal ultrasound and/or MRI to help guide the biopsy. If you are found to have prostate cancer, you might need imaging tests of other parts of your body to look for possible cancer spread.
The imaging tests used most often to look for prostate cancer spread include:
What Would You Say To Men Who Dont Want To Get A Prostate Check
A rectal exam is recommended but optional. We recommend both, but if theyll just let you do a blood test, thats better than not doing anything at all. ;
If concern about the rectal exam is the only reason youre not getting screened, talk to your doctor about it. We can discuss the risks and benefits. None of the evaluation tests are mandatory, but the reason we do that is that it improves our ability to detect cancer. So, if thats why youre not being evaluated, we can talk and decide if we can do other tests.
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Genetic Testing For Some Men With Prostate Cancer
Some doctors now recommend that some men with prostate cancer be tested to look for certain inherited gene changes. This includes men in whom a family cancer syndrome is suspected, as well as men with prostate cancer that has certain high-risk features or that has spread to other parts of the body. Talk to your doctor about the possible pros, cons, and limitations of such testing.;
Can A Female Doctor And Nurse Perform A Male Genital Exam
glowing waterbed over a year ago
Would like to hear from guys who had one done and female Drs and nurses who performed them.
Is a female Doctor allowed to perform a male genital exam? And will she be alone or have to have a female chaperone with her? I injured my groin and my primary Dr is female. So I was wondering if she would be the one to perform the exam. Or would a male Dr do it since I’m male. If it’s my female Dr and she has to have a nurse with her. I’m worried that I will get an erection in front of the two of them. Will they be mad if that happens while she is examining me? This is my first time having an exam like this and I just want to know what to expect. Like will I have to be naked the whole time with her in the room? And will the nurse see my penis as well as the dr? Thanks for any advice.
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Biomajor10over a year ago
I hope this helps and let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.
over a year ago
In reply to Biomajor10 on 2019-02-14 – click to read
over a year ago
In reply to glowing waterbed on 2019-02-15 – click to read
over a year ago
In reply to Biomajor10 on 2019-02-15 – click to read In reply to glowing waterbed on 2019-02-15 – click to read
njoynlifeover a year ago
At the VA my ARNP was a female who gave me a prostate exam;and once she had a female trainee with her who did a real full physical exam.
So you get used to medical procedures.
Biomajor10over a year ago
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Can I Check For Prostate Cancer At Home
It is strongly advised under any circumstances not to self-examine for prostate cancer at home either by yourself or with a partner. Not only does it take a skilled professional to assess how the prostate feels to make an accurate determination of overall prostate health, self-examinations have the potential to cause injury.
âSince the prostate is an internal gland, itâs extremely important that only licensed medical professionals conduct the exam. At-home self-exams should not be administered in order to avoid injury or self-harm. Regular screening is important for prostate cancer, as the disease often does not present symptoms until it is too late. Talk to your doctor about making sure you receive a regular DRE check-up at each visit.â
While actually screening yourself for prostate cancer at home is ill advised, you can still monitor your risk factors for prostate cancer between yearly check-ups, like practicing a healthy diet and exercising regularly.
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What If My Test Results Are Abnormal
If the results of early detection tests like the PSA test or the digital rectal exam suggest that you might have prostate cancer, your doctor will conduct further testing. The PSA may be repeated, or you may be sent to a specialist for more tests such as a transrectal ultrasound and a prostate biopsy.
In a prostate biopsy, a tissue sample is taken from your prostate. Cancer can only be diagnosed with a tissue sample.
In addition to a PSA test, DRE , and a biopsy, research has yielded additional tests that can detect if cancer is present, and if so, how aggressive that cancer might be:
- Phi
- The Prostate Health Index combines three blood tests that give a more accurate Phi Score, which gives accurate information based on a high PSA to better determine the probability of finding cancer during a biopsy.
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What To Expect During A Prostate Exam
The prostate sits near the bladder and is a walnut-sized gland in men that helps with the production of semen.
As you get older, your prostate can become enlarged or inflamed, and some men will develop prostate cancer. It’s the most common type of cancer in men, with almost 50,000 cases per year in the UK. Around eight in 10;men recover and live for at least 10 years after being diagnosed with it.
With many cancers, including prostate cancer, you may not notice any symptoms in the early stages. This means that the cancer can grow undetected and develop into a more serious stage or spread to other parts of your body.
Catching cancer early is one of the most effective ways to maximise your chances of making a full recovery.;
A prostate exam will help your doctor detect anything unusual happening with your prostate so that further investigations can be performed if needed.
Who Should Get A Digital Rectal Exam
Not all medical institutions agree on when men should begin screening for prostate cancer or even if a DRE should be part of the screening.
To help detect prostate cancer in its early stages, the American Cancer Society recommends that men talk to their doctors about the benefits, risks, and limitations of prostate cancer screening before deciding whether to be tested.
For most men at average risk, discussions about screening begin at age 50. However, some doctors recommend that men at higher risk of prostate cancer — African-American men or men with a family history of prostate cancer — start screening earlier.
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If They Don’t Think You Need Any Tests Or A Referral
- Can you explain why I dont need to have tests or see a specialist?
- Is there anything I can do to help myself?
- Do I need to see you again?
- Who do I contact if my symptoms continue or get worse, especially during the night or at weekends?
- I’ve been reading about;prostate cancer and wish to have a PSA test can you explain why I dont need one?
How Does A Person Prepare To Receive A Prostate Massage
One quick FYI is that prostate massages can make people feel like they have to pee, so the person having their prostate massaged should probably empty their bladder beforehand. Then you and your partner should take deep breaths. Deep breathing activates the bodys relaxation responsewhich is good for everyone involvedand a relaxed anal sphincter is a happy anal sphincter . Keep in mind that the more relaxed and turned on one is, the more comfort and pleasure theyre likely to experience.
Another thing to remember: The physical position may make receiving a prostate massage feel better or more feasible. Its not a guarantee, but some people find that being on top makes anal penetration easier, SELF previously reported. Your partner can kneel with your hand between their legs, for instance. With that said, it will likely take some experimentation to figure out which position feels best for the person receiving a prostate massage.
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It’ll Just Take A Minute
There’s no shying away from the fact that this exam involves inserting a gloved and lubricated digit into the rectum. While that may not sound pleasant, it’s over very quickly. The whole appointment might take just few minutes and the part you’re dreading – probably less than 20 seconds.
You’ll be granted some privacy to take off your lower clothing before being asked to lie on your side and draw your knees up to your chest. While it’s natural to tense up in these situations, you be surprised at how easily a lubricated finger slips in. Once it’s in there it usually takes just a few seconds for the anal sphincter to relax around it.
You’ll be aware of some pressing – this shouldn’t be painful but it may make you feel a brief urge to urinate. If you do experience any pain you should tell the examiner straight away. If the exam is physically intolerable for you but deemed necessary it can be performed under general anaesthetic.;Once the surface of the prostate has been inspected, the digit is removed and the area around the anus cleaned of any residual lubricant.
Can’t I Just Get A Blood Test
If you have concerns about prostate cancer you certainly should have a Prostate Specific Antigen blood test. Knowing your PSA level can help to establish what’s normal for you so that a spike is more easily identified. But a blood test alone is not enough. The test has been known to deliver ‘false-positive’ results in some cases – leading men into have invasive biopsies for no reason. Up to 20% of men with prostate cancer show no increase in PSA levels*. So it’s best used to check against the result of a rectal exam but can’t be relied upon in isolation.
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What Kind Of Doctor Will I See For A Dre
A primary care doctor or a gynecologist usually does a DRE. A gynecologist is a doctor who specializes in the health of women’s reproductive system. Other types of doctors, including gastroenterologists, surgeons, and oncologists may do DREs. A gastroenterologist is a doctor who specializes in the gastrointestinal tract. An oncologist is a doctor who treats cancer.
Special Types Of Psa Tests
The PSA level from a screening test is sometimes referred to as total PSA, because it includes the different forms of PSA . If you decide to get a PSA screening test and the result isnt normal, some doctors might consider using different types of PSA tests to help decide if you need a prostate biopsy, although not all doctors agree on how to use these tests. If your PSA test result isnt normal, ask your doctor to discuss your cancer risk and your need for further tests.
Percent-free PSA: PSA occurs in 2 major forms in the blood. One form is attached to blood proteins, while the other circulates free . The percent-free PSA is the ratio of how much PSA circulates free compared to the total PSA level. The percentage of free PSA is lower in men who have prostate cancer than in men who do not.
If your PSA test result is in the borderline range , the percent-free PSA might be used to help decide if you should have a prostate biopsy. A lower percent-free PSA means that your chance of having prostate cancer is higher and you should probably have a biopsy.
Many doctors recommend a prostate biopsy for men whose percent-free PSA is 10% or less, and advise that men consider a biopsy if it is between 10% and 25%. Using these cutoffs detects most cancers and helps some men avoid unnecessary biopsies. This test is widely used, but not all doctors agree that 25% is the best cutoff point to decide on a biopsy, and the cutoff may change depending on the overall PSA level.
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