The prostate is a walnut-sized gland present in men only. It makes the fluid that carries and nourishes sperm. The prostate sits in front of the rectum ('back passage') and just below the bladder. It is a bit like a ring doughnut or Polo mint i.e. there is a hole in the middle through which urine flows from the bladder to the urethra. The urethra is the tube that transports urine from the bladder to outside the body. As men get older, the prostate becomes bigger and the hole in the middle gets smaller. This stops urine from passing as quickly and can give rise urinary ('waterworks') symptoms including going to the toilet more frequently, at night and taking longer to pass urine.
Prostate cancer is a growing problem in this country as men live longer. When it starts there are no symptoms, but it is now the second commonest cause of death from cancer in men after lung cancer. Prostate cancer can be detected early using the PSA test, PCA3 score, and subsequent prostate biopsies. The decision on what to do afterwards can sometimes be difficult, but includes close monitoring, key hole or robotic prostatectomy, brachytherapy and external beam radiotherap. Treatment options are decided after discussion with you..
There is a video about prostate cancer that can be watched on the web from UCSF by Prof Carroll.
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