Cabazitaxel has been given regulatory approval in the USA and is under consideration by the European Medicines Agency and other global approval committees to be used to extend life expectancy in prostate cancer patients…
View full post on Prostate / Prostate Cancer News From Medical News Today
Why is the prostate removed?
The prostate is located under a man’s bladder. The prostate also surrounds the urethra. As men age, the prostate naturally enlarges. The enlargement can put pressure on the bladder and urethra creating bladder infections. It may also create difficulty in urination. Removing the prostate (prostatectomy) helps relieve this pressure and can eradicate these problems.
How does the urologist remove the prostate?
There are several procedures used to remove the prostate. Each procedure has different risks and benefits. However, not all urologists use all methods and not all patients will qualify for all methods.
The most common types of prostate removal include Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), laser prostatectomy, a transurethral needle ablation (TUNA), and an open prostatectomy.
Why do urologists use TURP?
The big advantage of TURP is that it does not create an outside surgical cut. The drawback to TURP comes with the difficulty of removing especially large prostates.
Which procedure is the least invasive?
The laser prostatectomy is the least invasive allowing patients to return home the same day. This procedure uses laser energy to remove enlarged prostate tissue, resulting in an open channel for urine to flow-through.
• ILC – Interstitial laser coagulation uses laser energy
• HoLep – holmium laser enucleation of the prostate uses laser energy
• GreenLight Laser Therapy uses laser therapy
There are some less invasive procedures available to men. They use heat to remove the prostate.
• TUNA – Transurethral needle ablation uses ultrasound
• TUMT – Transurethral microwave thermotherapy uses a microwave antenna fed through a catheter
• TUVP – Transurethral electrovaporization uses a roller ball to heat the prostate tissue.
• WIT – Water-induced thermotherapy uses a heated water catheter
Where can I find a urologist?
You can use Doctor Finders to locate a urologist in your area or find one that does the particularly prostatectomy you are looking for.
Many people are uncertain about where to turn when they or someone they or someone they love are faced with battling cancer. Prostate Removal has a comprehensive list of specialists in your area focused on the most recent cancer treatments available. When you need the most cutting-edge information and treatment available, turn to
My dad will going for the TURP procedure shortly here in the USA. He has no insurance and will be taking care of the costs personally.
Does anyone have an idea of the average cost breakdown: doctors charge for the procedure, facility charge, anesthesia charge etc
A new study shows that male rats prenatally exposed to low doses of atrazine, a widely used herbicide, are more likely to develop prostate inflammation and to go through puberty later than non-exposed animals. The research adds to a growing body of literature on atrazine, an herbicide predominantly used to control weeds and grasses in crops such as corn and sugar cane…
View full post on Prostate / Prostate Cancer News From Medical News Today
Prostate
Prostate is a gland that secretes an alkaline fluid into the pancreatic duct. This fluid constitutes up to 30% of the semen and it neutralizes the acidic vaginal tract and sustains the sperm life for longer. The fluid secreted by prostate includes proteolytic enzymes, prostatic acid phosphatase, and prostate-specific antigen.
Problems associated with Prostate
Two most common problems associated with prostate gland are prostatitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and malignant prostatic hyperplasia (MPH). Prostatitis is characterized by often urination, burning sensation while urinating, fever or tedium. It may happen due to inflammation caused by bacterial infection. In case there is no bacterial infection found, there is a possibility of nonbacterial prostatitis.
In BPH the prostate gland enlarges and squeezes the urethra. As the urine from the urinary bladder travels though urethra, this might cause high pressure on urinary bladder. Symptoms of BPH are frequent urination, sudden high bladder pressure and urgent need to urinate. It might wake you many when you are asleep, you will feel high pressure to urinate however you have to wait to start urinating. The urine stream gets weak, quantity of urine decreases, feeling the pressure even after urinating, dribbling urine or blood in urine.
Prostatitis is not a very serious illness and can be treated with medication like alpha-blocker that relaxes the prostate muscles. Prostatitis mostly occurs in men younger than 50 years however BPH or MPH occurs in men older than 50 years. BPH may cause urinary tract infection, difficulty in urinating or constant urination can also damage the kidney
MPH is cancerous in nature and happens due to uncontrolled growth of cells in prostate gland. Since the early symptoms of BPH and MPH are same, you should always consult a doctor to examine and identify the disease. Correct diagnosis with correct treatment will help in early detection and treatment of the disease.
Treatment
There are medicines available to treat the disease. Other treatment includes surgical and non surgical methods. Available medicines shrink or contract the prostate and prevent it from blocking the urinary tract. Non surgical procedures or sometimes termed as transurethral procedures includes reaching the prostate with the help of small tubes and then heating the affected region. Few of the transurethral procedures are photo-selective vaporization of the prostate (PVP), transurethral incision of the prostate (TUIP), transurethral microwave therapy (TUMT) and transurethral needle ablation (TUNA).
Surgical treatment includes removing a piece of prostate either through urethra or in open surgery. In case the prostate Is very large the open surgery is performed by making an incision above the penis. If the size of prostate is not very large a surgery called transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) is performed. Both the surgeries require general anesthesia.
In extreme case when the patient is diagnosed with MPH, the doctor may advise to remove the prostate to stop the cancer from spreading.
Side effects of treatment
Surgical or nonsurgical procedures may affect the sexual function, reverse ejaculation, loss of bladder control and dribbling or urine leakage. Most of the post treatment prostate symptoms can be treated and can be fully reversed in less than a year
This question is basically for Physicians and Surgeons or anyone who has gone through this ailment. I have a benign enlarged prostate. Is there a laser treatment that would shrink the enlarged prostate, without open surgery?
Having prostate problems is one that many men dread and fear. Not only do they equate this type of condition with old age and being past one’s prime, they know too that it can result in pain, problems urinating, and even impotence in some cases. Also, the exam that one must go through to check the gland is very unpleasant and downright embarrassing!
This doesn’t mean that any man should just ignore this problem. It’s important to do everything you can to keep the prostate healthy so as to forego these problems as much as possible.
While prostate problems are common in men, very few even know what this gland is for and what its healthy function is. This gland surrounds the top part of the urethra, which is the tube that drains urine from the bladder. Its function is to keep the urethra moist which aids in urination, and it also produces seminal fluid to transport sperm. In adult males it is typically about the size of a walnut, but its enlargement is what causes problems in men. As a matter of fact, about 43% of men over the age of 60 have an enlarged prostate gland. Non cancerous enlargement of the prostate is a common problem and it is not clear exactly what the cause is. It is believed that a hormonal change among older men is a major factor. Biopsies of enlarged prostates have shown extraordinarily high cholesterol content.
It’s true that you can’t always do something about whether or not this gland becomes enlarged, you can do many things to keep yourself healthy overall and address the common reasons for an enlarged prostate. For instance, many believe that the antioxidant agents in green tea and berries help to fight off the free radicals that destroy healthy cells. Also, some doctors are finding out that regular ejaculations on the man’s part seem to “exercise” the prostate and ward off some forms of cancer and cases of enlargement – good news for men who are looking for yet another reason to enjoy a healthy sex life!
Saw palmetto is an herb that many believe helps to shrink an enlarged prostate; it is thought to work by breaking down the testosterone that works to feed this gland. Saw Palmetto extract is widely used in Europe and is currently the subject of extensive study for improving prostate health.
Zinc is required for male sexual maturity and fertility depends on it. Zinc also has a profound influence on the body’s ability to resist disease. Lycopene is also the most abundant carotene in the prostate tissues and is needed for normal prostate functioning.
It’s also thought that heat applied to this region can reduce the enlargement, although a regular heating pad or hot bath doesn’t seem to quite reach this gland. Heat involves microwave or laser therapy.
In some extreme cases medical intervention and even surgery may be necessary. Ignoring an enlarged prostate can lead to kidney infections, impotence, and cancer. Many surgeries are considered major and require time off from work, but most doctors can recommend other treatment options since these are so invasive. Every man over 40 should have regular exams so as to avoid prostate problems in the future and avoid letting the condition become so severe that only surgery can correct the problem.
Always consult your doctor before using this information.
This Article is nutritional in nature and not to be construed as medical advice.
David Cowley has created numerous articles about the relationship between diseases and vitamins. Visit Health Related Articles
Mention a prostate exam to any man and he’ll likely cringe. The last thing a man wants to hear about his body is that he has prostate problems. As many as 80 percent of men have an enlarged prostate. Most men will experience prostate pain at some point in their lives, and aging increases the risk of having prostate problems.
Prostate cancer falls only behind skin cancer as the leading type of cancer in the United States. Prostate cancer is responsible for the deaths of 500,000 men in the U.S. each year. While the numbers are startling, relatively few men get help for urinary or prostate problems. They suffer in silence. Beyond the embarrassment of having their prostate checked, many men believe that problems with the bladder are just a normal part of aging.
Men don’t feel comfortable talking to their doctors about prostate problems. Yet, early detection and prevention are best for long-term health. A health screening is a simple step that all men need to take seriously. Urination problems need to be addressed quickly since they can be very painful and are often the first sign of a more serious problem.
What the Prostate Does
The prostate’s job is to hold and release semen. Semen is the alkaline fluid that neutralizes the acidity of the vagina, thereby making it easier for sperm to reach their destination. A healthy prostate requires the right balance of androgens (male hormones). As men age, their hormonal balance changes and they use the fluids less often. Unused fluids in the prostate will harden.
If the prostate is inflamed, it can cause a painfully enlarged prostate, prostatitis or prostate cancer. When testosterone, the male hormone, is converted into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), it can lead to prostate cancer or enlargement.
Ending Prostate Problems
There are a few ways to end prostate problems. One option is having surgery to correct the problem. This should be used as a last resort after exploring more natural and less invasive choices. Second, there are heated laser treatments available to ease an enlarged prostate. While this is a less invasive option than prostate surgery, it can be costly and time consuming. Third, there is the option of prostate massage. There are devices sold for just this purpose. They are said to release build up fluids to provide relief from prostate pain.
There is another method for relieving prostate problems, though. It includes making healthy lifestyle choices and including avena sativa in your diet.
Avena Sativa Ends Prostate Problems
Avena sativa is a cooked seed used in cereals and flour. It can also be sprouted and used in salads and sandwiches. It is rich in silicon, manganese, zinc, calcium, phosphorus and Vitamins A, B1, B2 and E. It is an oat complex for men that support prostate health in a natural way. It actually shrinks an enlarged prostate. Used in conjunction with a healthy diet, exercise and a healthy lifestyle in general, it can greatly improve the health of the prostate.
The keys to ending prostate problems are eat healthy and limit dairy intake; incorporate exercise into your daily routine; reduce stress; and add an avena sativa supplement to your diet. Getting into a healthy routine will ease the pain of an enlarged prostate and prevent prostate problems in the future.
More information on avena sativa herbs is available at VitaNet
I recently had a Green Light laser PVP TURP. Other than the day after the surgery, I experienced no bleeding whatsoever. Then, 12 days after the event, I suddenly began voiding blood at the beginning of each urination session. This has been going on for 7 days, now. If I drink lots of water and lie down, it seems to improve; otherwise, it’s always a bit of blood followed by regular urine. Can anyone tell me if this is a normal part of the healing process? Thanks.
Another way to treat an enlarged prostate is by using a laser. Light energy carves the prostate to its desired size to alleviate the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
But this technique is basically no different from conventional surgery and has the same side effects – namely impotence, inability to control urination and retrograde ejaculation (where the ejaculated semen enters the bladder instead of shooting out of the penis).
So before you go under the knife, check with your doctor whether surgery or laser treatment is really for you. Surgery is often required only if BPH threatens your health.
“There are other situations that mandate surgical intervention. If the backup of urine from the enlarged prostate has affected your kidneys and is distending or blowing them up, you must correct matters quickly before permanent damage results. Or, if you have repeated urinary infections, you’re best rid of the obstructing prostate gland,” according to Dr. Isadore Rosenfeld of the New York Hospital – Sloane-Kettering Cancer Center in “The Best Treatment.”
“However, there is no need to rush to surgery simply because your symptoms are inconvenient. I have many, many patients who continue to live with, and have adjusted to, an enlarged prostate, secure in the knowledge that their lives are not in danger,” Rosenfeld added.
Another experimental non-surgical technique is available for those with BPH. In prostatic ballooning, a deflated cylindrical balloon attached to a catheter is inserted into the penis. As soon as it reaches the obstructed area, the balloon is inflated 10 to 15 times, pushing aside the enlarged prostate. This procedure is usually combined with microwave heating which shrinks the bulging prostate.
“Thousands of prostatic ballooning has already been successfully performed. Although it’s still too early to tell how long this compression will hold, the technique appears to be simpler, safer and cheaper than an operation and most patients can go home the very next day,” Rosenfeld said.
Some people are under the impression that certain vitamins and herbs can prevent or cure BPH. Zinc is commonly used for this purpose but there is no evidence to support this.
Megadoses of zinc – 500 milligrams or more – can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Similarly, ingesting “natural” remedies like bee pollen has no effect on BPH but it can send you to the hospital since many people are allergic to this substance.
To strengthen your body, take Immunitril – your first line of defense in maintaining a healthy immune system. For details, visit http://www.bodestore.com/immunitril.html.
Sharon Bell is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of her insightful articles can be found at the premier online news magazine http://www.HealthLinesNews.com.
A new standard of care for Benign Prostate Hyperplasia
Beirut based Clemenceau Medical Center Clemenceau Medical Center ( CMC CMC ) affiliated with Johns Hopkins Medicine International (JHMI) hosted the “GreenLight Laser Workshop” in collaboration with AMS and Asmar Medical , on Saturday July 31 st , 2010 with the participation of international GreenLight Laser expert from Madrid, Dr. Fernando Sancha, Urological Surgeon, Consultant and Medical …
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One may feel that there are not a lot of options for enlarged prostate patients, but as a matter of fact, more and better treatment options are being discovered by the day. Thanks to modern technology, different techniques are being developed and improved in order to handle different kinds of prostate enlargement conditions.
It may be an age-old affliction, but that doesn’t mean we have to stick with outdated treatment options for enlarged prostate. Traditionally, an enlarged prostate would be treated with physical therapy and painful, invasive surgery. In the past, these methods sometimes came with significant health risks.
But in the modern age, methods that are less invasive – and often also less risky – are being used to treat these conditions. Among these methods is laser surgery, which involves the use of highly concentrated laser light in eliminating overgrown tissue on the prostate. The laser light does not penetrate too deeply, so the tissues around the prostate itself are not damaged. This method still requires some hospital stay, similar to a traditional surgery, but it could be as brief as an overnight stay. Laser prostatectomy is now a popular method of controlling prostate enlargement, though many would still consider it a drastic measure.
Transurethral incision and resection are two less invasive methods of surgery. They are different in that transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) is considered a major surgery, contrary to transurethral incision (TUIP). As their names imply, TURP involves the surgical removal of obstructing tissues on the prostate, thus making urination easier; on the other hand, TUIP only involves the creation of small incisions that would allow urine to pass out of the body more freely. The chance of needing to return for a second surgery is less in TURP than in TUIP, though the cost of surgery and the recuperation time is often more with TURP.
Medication is a tried and tested method of treating prostate enlargement, one that is most often recommended for men who only suffer from mild to moderate symptoms. Alpha blockers such as Terazosin (Hytrin) and Doxazosin (Cardura) relax the muscles around the neck of the bladder and make it easier to urinate. These medicines, incidentally, are also used in treating high blood conditions. Side effects are often minimal and controllable. Combined with lifestyle changes such as healthier eating, sleeping and exercise routines, medication could be the most cost efficient and most effective treatment options for enlarged prostate, in the long run.
Mensglands.com provides you with info on enlarged prostate symptoms, its treatments and symptoms and how to overcome or reduce the risk of getting it. http://www.mensglands.com/
Having an enlarged prostate is not only annoying. It can be embarrassing as well. To make matters worse, the condition can lead to life-threatening complications.
“If after you think you’ve emptied your bladder there are still several ounces of urine left behind, you are at risk for acute urinary retention. That means that one day while you are on a train, a plane, climbing a mountain, driving on some remote highway, or scuba diving off a tropical island hours away from medical help, you may suddenly have to ‘go’ and find that you can’t. The signal to void becomes progressively more intense and painful until you have to be rushed to the nearest medical facility where a catheter inserted into the bladder via the penis is the only way to release the retained urine. If help is a long way off, you may be in real trouble,” explained Dr. Isadore Rosenfeld of the New York Hospital Sloane-Kettering Cancer Center in “The Best Treatment.”
Before that happens, what are your options? How do you deal with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)?
In the past, the only option for people with BPH or an enlarged prostate was surgery. Called transurethral prostate resection (TURP), this procedure involves “shaving” or removing small pieces of the enlarged prostate that block the flow of urine.
TURP is done with a tiny instrument called a resectoscope or operating cystoscope equipped with a light and electric cutting device at its end. The instrument is inserted into the urethra (the tube where urine flows) and a miniature telescope enables the urologist to see the area and cut portions of the prostate gland.
“After the operation, the resectoscope is removed and a catheter is inserted through the urethra into the bladder, where it remains for a day or two so that that the bladder can void while the enlarged channel heals. The hospital stay generally is about a week,” according to Dr. David E. Larson, editor-in-chief of the “Mayo Clinic Family Health Book.”
TURP usually relieves the uncomfortable symptoms of BPH but there are a few problems. First, the prostate may enlarge again, requiring another operation. This is true for one in five men who may have to undergo a second TURP procedure in five years. Secondly, surgery does not prolong life. One study suggests that it actually reduces a person’s lifespan by a year.
In rare cases, TURP can cause impotence or complete inability to control urination. The most common side effect, however, is retrograde ejaculation, that is, the ejaculated semen enters the bladder instead of shooting out of the penis. This may impair a man’s fertility.
“Men who have had a TURP experience no decrease in sexual desire and retain the ability to have erections, engage in sexual intercourse, and ejaculate. Unfortunately, the surgical procedure may cause damage to the internal bladder sphincter, the valve responsible for forward ejaculation of semen. A damaged bladder sphincter cannot close prior to ejaculation, resulting in retrograde ejaculation of semen into the bladder,” said Dr. Richard F. Spark, associate clinical professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in “Male Sexual Health: A Couple’s Guide.” (Next: Laser for prostate enlargement.)
To strengthen your body, take Immunitril – your first line of defense in maintaining a healthy immune system. For details, visit http://www.bodestore.com/immunitril.html.
Sharon Bell is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of her insightful articles can be found at the premier online news magazine http://www.HealthLinesNews.com.
If you have been diagnosed with prostate cancer, you want to make sure the diagnosis is completely accurate so that you can pursue the right type of treatment. One of the best ways of determining whether or not you have prostate cancer is with a prostate biopsy procedure. This procedure is the most thorough way of detecting cancer cells, even at its earliest stages. The goal behind a prostate biopsy procedure is to take a small amount of tissue from the area and examine it to see whether or not cancer cells are present. Here is how a prostate biopsy procedure is performed.
Preparing for the biopsy: The first thing that you will do before you have a prostate biopsy procedure is to prepare for the medical test. By now you have already had an initial physical examination and your doctor suspects that something is abnormal. When a biopsy is performed, it can look at the cells to see if cancer is present. Your doctor will inform you of the procedures before it takes place. Your doctor may ask that you have an enema before the procedure to clean out the intestines beforehand. The doctor will also mostly likely prescribe antibiotics. This will help ensure that there are no infections present before the prostate biopsy procedure is performed. In addition, your doctor may ask that you do not take any medications prior to the procedure. For more info see http://www.prostatecancertreatmenthelp.com/Prostate_Biopsy on enlarged prostate.
Determining the type of prostate biopsy procedure: Before your appointment, your doctor will have already determined which procedure is right for you. There are several different biopsy procedures that can be done. The most common is the needle in the perineum. A needle in inserted and cells are taken for examination. About 6-12 samples are taken. This procedure takes about 20 minutes and there are little to no difficulties from the procedure. Other common procedures are the needle in the rectum and the cytoscopy.
Care after the procedure: Depending on which procedure you have, your doctor will recommend that you slow your daily activities and that you watch for swelling or bleeding. There is usually a little pain and discomfort, but it should not last more that two days. You should contact your doctor if you have problems urinating after 24 hours or have bleeding, swelling or fever.
There are usually little to no side effects of the prostate biopsy procedure except for mild pain and discomfort. Side effects can include difficulty urinating, bleeding from the rectum, a lowered sperm count and infection.
Understanding A Prostate BioYou can also find more info on prostate cancer treatment and laser prostate.