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Prostate Health

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• Prostatitis
• Prostate Enlargement
• Prostate Cancer
• Additional Resources

The prostate is a gland. It helps make semen, the fluid that contains sperm. It encircles the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder out through the penis. A young man's prostate is about the size of a walnut. It slowly grows larger with age. If it gets too large, it can cause problems. The older men get, the more likely they are to have prostate problems. The three most common prostate problems are prostatitis, prostate enlargement, and prostate cancer. Although most prostate problems are not cancer, prostate cancer affects many men. Talking to your doctor about prostate problems and whether screening is the right choice for you will protect your prostate health and overall health.

Prostatitis

Prostatitis (pross-tuh-TYT-uhss) means the prostate might be inflamed or irritated. It often causes pain. It is the most common prostate problem for men younger than 50. Prostatitis can come on suddenly, or be a chronic problem that keeps going away and coming back. A sudden infection can give you symptoms such as:

• Fever and chills
• Pain and burning when urinating and during ejaculation
• Strong and frequent urge to urinate, but only being able to pass small amounts of urine
• Lower back or abdominal pain
• Blood in the urine

See your doctor right away if you have any of these symptoms. An acute infection can be life-threatening. But it is easy to diagnose and responds well to treatment. 

Chronic prostatitis is the most common but least understood form of prostatitis. It is also called chronic pelvic pain syndrome. It is difficult to diagnose because the symptoms are not the same for every patient, and many of the symptoms — such as painful or burning urination and incomplete emptying of the bladder — could be signs of another disease. Chronic pelvic pain cannot be cured. But treatment helps many men manage their symptoms.

Prostate Enlargement

For men over 50, the most common prostate problem is prostate enlargement, also called benign prostatic hyperplasia (buh-NYN prah-STAT-ihk HEYE-pur-PLAY-zhuh). As the prostate grows, it squeezes the urethra, causing urinary problems. Some of these problems include:

• A frequent and urgent need to urinate
• Trouble starting a urine stream, even though you feel you have to rush to get to the bathroom
• A weak stream of urine
• A small amount of urine each time you go
• The feeling that you still have to go, even when you have just finished urinating
• Leaking or dribbling urine
• Small amounts of blood in your urine

It’s a good idea to talk to your doctor if you have symptoms of prostate enlargement. Your doctor might suggest that you "wait and see" if your symptoms don’t bother you too much. Or, you can discuss treatment options if symptoms are or become so bothersome that you can’t enjoy life.

Prostate Cancer

No one knows the exact causes of prostate cancer. Doctors often cannot explain why one man develops prostate cancer and another does not. Research has shown that men with certain risk factors are more likely than others to develop prostate cancer. A risk factor is something that may increase the chance of developing a disease.

The following are risk factors for prostate cancer:

• Age — Being 50 years of age or older
• Family history — Having a brother, son, or father who had prostate cancer
• Race — Being African American
• Diet — Eating a diet high in fat, especially animal fat, might increase the risk

Treatment for prostate cancer works best when found early. But doctor's opinions vary as to whether all men should have routine prostate cancer screening. On one hand, screening tests can help detect prostate cancer early, when it's most treatable. For this reason, many men have a yearly prostate screening exam beginning at age 50, or younger if they have other risk factors. On the other hand, screening tests can't tell how dangerous a cancer is. Some prostate cancers grow so slowly that they are likely to never cause any problems, whereas their treatment can greatly affect a man's quality of life. Ask your doctor about the pros and cons of routine screening. With this information, you can decide if routine screening is right for you.

Additional Resources

Publications

1.   Age Page: Prostate Problems — This publication provides a brief overview of prostate problems common in aging men, as well as reasons to see your doctor about your prostate health.

   http://www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation/Publications/prostate.htm

2.   Prostate Cancer — This publication provides general information about prostate cancer. It provides the risk factors, causes, symptoms, and different ways to diagnose this form of cancer. This publication also provides different treatment options as well as further research information on prostate cancer.

   http://nihseniorhealth.gov/prostatecancer/toc.html

3.   Prostate Cancer — This is a collection of Web resources about prostate cancer from MedlinePlus, a service of the National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health. It includes information on diagnosis, symptoms, treatment, prevention, and more.

   http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/prostatecancer.html

4.   Prostate Enlargement: Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia — This brochure discusses enlargement of the prostate gland, a common issue affecting men as they age. It also explains treatment options, from watchful waiting to surgery.

   http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/prostateenlargement/index.htm

5.   Prostatitis: Disorders of the Prostate — This publication discusses the four types of prostatitis, including symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.

   http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/prostatitis/index.htm

6.   What You Need To Know About Prostate Cancer — This booklet on prostate cancer discusses symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, emotional issues, and questions to ask the doctor. It also includes a glossary of terms and other resources.

   http://www.cancer.gov/cancerinfo/wyntk/prostate

7.   Nutrition, Exercise, and Prostate Cancer (Copyright © Prostate Cancer Foundation) — This publication discusses research on how a healthy lifestyle, especially healthy foods and physical activity, might affect prostate cancer prevention and treatment.

   http://www.prostatecancerfoundation.org/atf/cf/%7B705B3273-F2EF-4EF6-A653-E15C5D8BB6B1%7D/Nutrition_Guide.p...

8.   Prostate Cancer and Bone Loss (Copyright © The Hormone Foundation) — This easy-to-read fact sheet provides information on prostate cancer screening and treatment and bone loss prevention. Additional resources are provided.

   http://www.hormone.org/Resources/Prostate/upload/bilingual_prostatecancer_boneloss.pdf...

9.   Report to the Nation on Prostate Cancer: A Guide for Men and Their Families (Copyright © Prostate Cancer Foundation) — This detailed report answers common questions of those newly diagnosed with prostate cancer. It includes information on diagnosis, treatment, nutrition, and more.

   http://www.prostatecancerfoundation.org/atf/cf/%7B705B3273-F2EF-4EF6-A653-E15C5D8BB6B1%7D/FINAL%20PCF_Patie...

Organizations

1.   Cancer Information Service, NCI, NIH, HHS
2.   National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse, NIDDK, NIH, HHS
3. Prostate Cancer Foundation
4. Prostate Cancer Institute
5. Prostate Cancer Research Institute
6. Us Too! International
7. Zero-The Project to End Prostate Cancer

= Indicates Federal Resources

Content last updated June 1, 2009.