Overview of prostate diseases
The prostate is an organ that is below the bladder and its function is limited to the formation of semen. Many men have a continuous growth of the prostate throughout their lives, this can cause an outlet obstruction of urine from the bladder.Diseases
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)
Prostate enlargement or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) can cause bothersome urinary symptoms like bladder outlet obstruction. If not treated on time, benign prostatic hyperplasia can damage the bladder and kidneys along the time.
Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is one of the most common tumors, it affects men over 60. Most of the time, prostate cancer is a slow growing tumor that is confined only to the prostate, in these cases the patient may be offered minimal treatment or even no treatment (surveillance only). Prostate cancer does not present symptoms in the initial stage, therefore, it is recommended to be checked by the urologist every year starting at age 45. When prostate cancer is found in an early stage, it is more likely to offer curative treatment and be completely eliminated.
Diagnosis
To diagnose prostate diseases, the following must be performed:
- Interrogation to find out family history, lifestyle.
- Physical prostate examination via a digital rectal exam (DRE).
- Application of validated questionnaires for the diagnosis of prostatic hyperplasia such as IPSS *.
- Diagnostic Services: Laboratory tests including urinalysis, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing, prostate ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Treatment
There are different forms of treatment for prostate diseases, they are divided into pharmacological and surgical. If a patient does not respond to pharmaceutical treatment, surgical treatment should be employed.Make an appointment
Dr. Salvador Bricio
