Hidden away behind the bladder, the prostate gland is responsible for the production of some of the fluid in semen. Yet a vast number of men have no idea where it is or what it does.

There are three things that can go wrong with the prostate, and these are a benign enlargement, an inflammation due to infection, known as prostatitis, and prostate cancer. All three cause similar symptoms, though it is unusual in early prostate cancer to have any symptoms at all. A benign enlargement can be treated with alpha-blocker drugs or simply kept under observation, while prostatitis is usually treated with a course of antibiotics.

'If men need to urinate more often, have to rush to the toilet, have trouble starting to urinate, pain when urinating or have a weak flow, they may have a problem,’ says Meg Burgess, support and information nurse specialist at The Prostate Cancer Charity. A GP may want to examine the prostate, which many men want to avoid, as this involves a digital rectal examination. Though they should be encouraged to make that appointment, especially if they are heading toward retirement age. ‘Generally, the risk of prostate cancer increases with age, over 85% of men diagnosed with prostate cancer are over the age of 60. African-Caribbean men are three times more likely to suffer from prostate cancer, and a family history can increase risk as well,’ says Meg.

The treatments for prostate cancer depend on the stage it is at and can include surgery, radiotherapy and/or hormone therapy. If a man has early stage low risk prostate cancer then active surveillance is often used, where the cancer is monitored but treatment is delayed until there is any change. It is a very slow growing cancer and it may not cause problems in some men, so leaving it alone is often seen as best as the side effects of treatment can be severe, often impacting on sexual function in men as well as continence. However, the way in which prostate cancer is treated is changing. The arrival of  new technology, being developed by UK HIFU, is enabling doctors to pinpoint the site of the cancer, assess how aggressive it is, and treat it while sparing healthy tissue – meaning the long-term outlook is looking far better.

For more information call The Prostate Cancer Charity’s confidential helpline on 0800 074 8383, which is staffed by specialist nurses or visit www.prostate-cancer.org.uk. 

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