What is the prostate?

Probably no part of a man's body is as frequent a topic of conversation, sharing of experiences, fears, firm but most often incorrect beliefs as the prostate. This has happened particularly in the last fifteen years due to the influence of the media world, the availability of an increasing amount of information, the pressure of the pharmaceutical industry, but also the efforts of official health education.

The average man, just like a woman, considers the prostate to be an organ that holds all of his secrets sexual (in)potence this is how it is in the case of any sexual dysfunction, it is certainly necessary to treat the prostate. None of these assumptions are correct.

However, the prostate is in direct relation to the urethra and bladder and is very important for male fertility, which people often confuse with sexuality. Therefore, even the slightest problems with urination, and especially with erectile function, can very often shake self-confidence, cause a feeling of lost masculinity, and lead to concern and fear that most often goes beyond reality.

What is the prostate?

Experience shows that it is not superfluous to note that prostate They only have men. The prostate is a chestnut-sized gland, hence its common name "kestenjača" (little chestnut), and officially the preputial gland. It is located directly below the bladder, behind the pubic bone, and in front of the final section of the large intestine. Adjacent to the posterior surface of the prostate are the seminal vesicles, also two small glandular structures. The prostate consists of tiny glands and their excretory ducts. It begins to enlarge at the start of puberty and stops growing around the age of twenty, after which it most commonly begins to change again at the start of the fifth decade.

The urethra passes through the prostate. And precisely in that segment of the urethra are the small openings of the ducts through which the secretions of the seminal vesicles and sperm from the testes enter the prostatic urethra. These, along with prostate secretions, form semen, or ejaculate. The main function of the prostate is to produce most of the fluid in semen. The fluid, i.e., the secretions of the prostate and seminal vesicles, protects and nourishes the sperm on their journey to the woman's egg in the uterus. Therefore, the fundamental function of the prostate is related to fertility, not to Sexual power man.

Since the urethra passes through the middle of the prostate, Any significant change in the prostate, most commonly inflammation, benign enlargement, or cancer, can lead to urination problems.. Inflammatory diseases, especially acute prostatitis, are typical for younger men, while benign enlargement, and particularly prostate cancer, are extremely rare before the age of fifty.

Prostatitis

Prostatitis, or inflammation of the prostate, is among the most common diseases of the male urogenital system, especially in young and middle-aged men. It often causes painful and difficult urination, as well as pain in the groin, pelvic area, or genitals. However, it can also be completely asymptomatic and is sometimes detected during a routine urine examination. Bacteria cause some, but not all, prostate infections.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia

The code for an enlarged prostate most commonly refers to benign prostatic hyperplasia, which is referred to in pathohistological samples as benign prostatic hyperplasia and is most frequently mentioned in urological reports. Hyperplasia is the excessive growth of normal cells, as opposed to carcinoma, in which cells are abnormal. The aforementioned means that benign prostatic hyperplasia is a non-malignant, excessive growth of prostate cells.

The urethra, which is the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body, passes through the central part of the prostate. As prostate hyperplasia develops, the urethra gradually narrows due to the lobes of the prostate protruding into it. This leads to a large number of uncomfortable and distressing symptoms, which is why patients most frequently visit the urology clinic.

The prostate is normally the size and shape of a chestnut. At birth, it is about the size of a pea. It grows slowly until puberty, when it suddenly enlarges and reaches its normal size and shape. The average dimensions of the prostate are 3.5 x 4.5 x 2.5 centimeters, and the weight of a normal prostate ranges between 16 and 22 grams. It maintains this size until the mid-forties, when it begins to enlarge again due to cell multiplication, i.e., benign hyperplasia or benign enlargement of the prostate.

The incidence of benign prostate enlargement increases with age, peaking in the ninth decade of life. The prostate in a younger man typically weighs around 20 grams. It is important to know that prostate enlargement does not necessarily correlate with clinical symptoms.

Prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is one of the most common health problems faced by older men in Western civilization. In developed countries, where the proportion of the elderly population is higher, the incidence of prostate cancer is also higher. It accounts for 11.1% of all male malignancies in Europe, and prostate cancer causes 91% of male cancer deaths. Most patients die with prostate cancer, but not from it. It is most often a slow-progressing disease, which largely depends on the age at which it appears and the degree of malignancy of the cancer cells.

Prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia share some common characteristics. Both diseases occur more frequently with advancing age. Testosterone is required for the development of both diseases, and as its activity decreases, both show signs of regression. However, benign prostatic hyperplasia is present in 80% of patients with that gland's cancer, but the incidence of cancer in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia is only 31%.

It is important to emphasize that prostate cancer in its early stages of development has no symptoms specific to the disease itself, but it can be cured at that time. If the disease is found in an advanced stage, a cure is not possible, but it is possible to slow its further progression.

When a diagnosis of prostate cancer is made, it is necessary to assess the extent of the disease. Prostate cancer initially spreads regionally, to the pelvic lymph nodes, and later systematically, most often to the bones, although it can also affect soft tissues and organs.

The Importance of Early Diagnosis

Early diagnosis should be aimed at men over 40 if their father or brother has had prostate cancer. In other men, it should be performed annually after the age of 50 if life expectancy is ten years or more. Early diagnostic methods include a urological examination, especially a digital rectal exam, and a PSA level determination once a year. The final diagnosis is made by prostate biopsy, which should be performed if prostate cancer is suspected based on a digital rectal exam, regardless of the PSA level. Similarly, if the PSA level is greater than 4 ng/ml, a biopsy is indicated even if the digital rectal exam is normal.

A biopsy involves taking tissue samples from the prostate, which a pathologist analyzes microscopically. The pathologist's findings reveal whether cancer is present, where in the gland it is located, an estimate of its size, and the malignancy grade of the tumor cells. If the pathologist does not find tumor tissue, but suspicion of a tumor remains based on their findings or subsequent follow-up examinations, the biopsy needs to be repeated, sometimes several times.

Source: Pliva Health