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Anatomy
and Function of the Normal Prostate
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The
prostate gland is about the size and shape of a walnut. It is
a gland found only in men and is just below the bladder. When
you pass urine it flows through a tube (urethra) and out through
the penis. The urethra has to pass through the prostate before
reaching the penis. This is why some men have problems with urinating
when they have an enlarged prostate.
Fluid produced by the prostate forms part of semen and may help
to nourish sperm.
You
can see the location of the prostate relative to the other reproductive
organs in the picture above.
Early
Stage of Enlarged Prostate
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As
men age, their prostate gland grows. This is generally not a problem
but this can cause problems in some men because the enlarged prostate
can press on the urethra and slow-down the flow of urine, sometimes
completely, causing discomfort and sometimes severe pain when
there is
complete retention of urine in the bladder.
This
general enlargement of the prostate is called Benign Prostatic
Hyperplasia (BPH). The term benign is used because the cells which
cause this form of enlargement are not malignant or cancerous
and therefore do not spread. BPH does not necessarily lead to
prostate cancer although it is perfectly possible to experience
both conditions simultaneously. The prostate is also prone to
infection in some men and this condition, known as prostatitis,
can lead to the symptoms mentioned above.
Normally, cells of the body grow and divide under strict control.
Old or surplus cells are programmed to die, and the number of
cells in the body therefore remains relatively constant. Prostate
cancer is a condition found in men where the cells within the
prostate gland begin to divide and grow in an uncontrolled manner.
Why this should happen more commonly in later life is not clear
but researchers are drawing closer to understanding these problems.
The cancerous gland then starts to grow larger and presses on
the urethra and so the symptoms of prostate cancer and BPH can
at first be similar. However, in men with prostate cancer, the
cells can also break through the wall of the prostate gland and
enter the surrounding tissue or travel throughout the body where
they can grow and cause problems elsewhere, commonly in the bones.
Some
questions you should ask your doctor
