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Urologic
Pathology - About Prostate Cancer
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Prostate gland is found
only in men; therefore, only men get prostate
cancer. It is just below the bladder and in
front of the rectum. The urethra, the tube
that carries urine, runs through the prostate.
The prostate normally starts out about the
size of a walnut. By the time a man is age
40, the prostate may already have grown to
the size of an apricot; by age 60, it may
be as big as a lemon.
Compared with most cancers, prostate cancer
tends to grow slowly. It may be decades from
the time the earliest cell changes can be
detected under a microscope until the cancer
gets big enough to cause symptoms.
When cancer grows through the prostate capsule,
it invades nearby tissues. It also may spread
to the lymph nodes of the
pelvis, or it may spread
throughout the body (metastasize) via the
bloodstream or the lymphatic system.
The prostate usually is healthy in younger
men. As a man grows older, however, the prostate
gland frequently becomes a source of trouble.
The three most common prostate problems are
inflammation (prostatitis),
prostate enlargement (benign prostatic
hyperplasia/BPH), and prostate
cancer. Neither prostatitis nor prostate
enlargement is known to cause cancer. However,
it is possible for men who have one or both
of these conditions to develop prostate cancer
as well.
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Prostatitis
Prostatitis, or prostate inflammation, can cause difficult
or painful urination that often is accompanied by a
burning sensation, a strong and frequent urge to urinate
that often results in only small amounts of urine, and
pain in the lower back or abdomen.
The causes of prostititis are unclear. Sometimes, it
is the result of a bacterial infection. Occasionally,
prostatitis is accompanied by chills and a high fever.
When prostatitis is the result of a bacterial infection,
it usually can be cleared up with antibiotics.
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Benign
Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is an enlarged
prostate. Benign means noncancerous and hyperplasia
means excessive growth of tissue. BPH is the result
of small noncancerous growths inside the prostate.
It is not known what causes these growths, but it
may be related to hormone changes that occur with
aging. By age 60, more than half of all American
men have microscopic signs of BPH, and by age 70,
more than 40 percent will have prostate enlargement
that can be felt on a physical examination.
As the prostate enlarges, it presses against the
bladder and the urethra, blocking the flow of urine.
Therefore, a man with BPH may find it difficult
to initiate a urine stream or to maintain more than
a dribble. He also may need to urinate frequently,
or he may have a sudden, powerful urge to urinate.
Many men are forced to get up several times a night;
others have an annoying feeling that the bladder
is never completely empty. BPH usually does not
affect sexual function.
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FOR
MORE INFORMATION ON PROSTATE CANCER CLICK
HERE
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