Can Prostate Problems Be Avoided?

As men age, the prostate — located near the bladder and urethra — can become vulnerable to some health concerns. The two most common are an enlarged prostate and prostate cancer.

"An enlarged prostate can be a serious medical condition, but it can usually be treated in most men," says Matthew Tobin, M.D., board certified urologist affiliated with Jersey Shore University Medical Center and Ocean Medical Center. "As the prostate grows, it can block the urethra, which carries urine from the bladder out of the body, causing discomforting side effects."

These effects include:

• a frequent need to urinate especially at night
• a weak, delayed, or interrupted stream when urinating
• an inability to completely empty the bladder.

It is not known why an enlarged prostate occurs, although it has been associated with aging.

Care and Early Detection
If a man has mild urinary symptoms, there are some steps to take for relief.

• Limit coffee, alcohol, or spicy foods.
• Don’t smoke.
• Drink eight or more glasses of water every day.
• Urinate as soon as the need arises.
• Try saw palmetto, an herbal remedy that has improved urine flow for some men.

How an enlarged prostate is treated depends on the type and severity of symptoms and a man’s age. Treatment is not always necessary.

More severe symptoms may require surgery, laser therapy, or microwave therapy, which uses heat to destroy prostate cells.

Doctors recommend that men older than age 40 have their prostate examined once a year. Early detection is important, because, although an enlarged prostate is not a risk factor for cancer, the symptoms are similar.

Looking Out For Prostate Cancer
Most often, prostate cancer does not offer any signs or symptoms until the latter stages of the disease. Other than quitting smoking,

exercising regularly, and eating low-fat foods, a man’s next best defense is to begin screening for prostate cancer at age 50. Men with a relative who has had prostate cancer and African-American men may need to start screening at age 40. Screening usually involves a digital rectal exam and a blood test called the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test.

"Prior to the current screening recommendations, 75 percent of men with prostate cancer were diagnosed with the most advanced stage of the disease. Today, however, with men getting the proper screening, that statistic has reversed. Now, 75 percent of men are being treated at the earliest stages of cancer — most of whom can expect a positive outcome," says Dr. Tobin, who also serves as director of Urologic Oncology at Jersey Shore.

Treating prostate cancer may include surgery, radiation therapy, or hormone therapy. Some men, depending on their age and how quickly the cancer is growing, may choose to monitor the cancer with their doctor before undergoing any treatment.

"We have many treatment options at our disposal, but it is crucial to catch the cancer as early as possible," says Dr. Tobin. "That is why routine screenings before any symptoms develop are so vitally important and cannot be stressed enough."