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Prostate gland:
Until recently the prostate gland was virtually unknown to the public. Two factors have
changed that and made this small gland, found only in men, famous. One is that men are
beginning to live much longer - prostate enlargement, which can cause difficulty with
urination and pain, nearly always occurs with sufficient age. The other is that prostate
cancer rates have risen dramatically, in part because of better methods of detection
but also due to greater longevity.
Size and location The walnut-sized gland is located at the base of the urethra in men.
A physician can reach the prostate by inserting a finger into the patient's rectum and
feeling the gland's size and shape. Older men should have a digital rectal exam every
year or two.
Role The only known role of the prostate is the production of a thick liquid that mixes
with the sperm produced by the testes. The combination, with sperm in place, is called
semen.
The prostate also causes the blood to contain a compound called prostate specific
antigen (PSA). The larger or more active the gland, the more PSA found in the blood.
Thus older men often have their PSA checked. If PSA levels rise sharply, most physicians
then use ultrasound to examine the prostate.
Conditions that affect the prostate gland Enlargement of the prostate, or hypertrophy,
without cancer is common. It leads to difficulty in urination. Correction is often
possible.
Bacteria can infect the gland causing prostatitis, a serious condition that requires
treatment with antibiotics.
Cancer is the most serious problem, but prostate cancer is often slow growing and may
not require immediate treatment. If possible prostate cancer is found, different steps
may be taken depending on the indications and on the age and overall health of the
patient. Physicians usually use "watchful waiting," monitoring a slow-growing cancer
frequently with PSA blood tests and ultrasound. If PSA levels remain low, an older
patient is more likely to die from other causes than from prostate cancer. If surgical
removal of a cancerous prostate is needed and is done early, it completely cures nearly
90% of prostate cancer patients. Surgery at later stages cures more than half of all
prostate cancers. Removal of the gland may lead to impotence in some cases.
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