Men need to be aware that their prostate gland grows as they get older and may cause some problems that need to be managed, said Dr Farhat Abbas, Consultant Urologist, Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), Karachi who had a brief stopover in UAE.

Dr. Farhat Abbas is the Consultant Urologist at AKUH and the Dean, Medical College, The Aga Khan University. He has been awarded the “Tamgha-e-Imtiaz”, by the President of Pakistan in 2010 which is one of the highest honours by the Government of Pakistan, for his distinguished work in the field of medicine.

Dr. Abbas explained that the most common of the prostatic problems is prostate gland enlargement — in medical terms benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or prostatic hypertrophy — that affects older men. Up to 40 per cent of men over the age of 60 may have BPH-related urinary problems that range from pain in the groin or lower back, a weak urinary stream, difficulty in starting urination and frequent urination.

An evaluation could include a review of the patient’s history, a digital rectal examination, a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test and some other relevant tests to rule out any other problems.

Once diagnosed, there are several effective treatments available that depend on an individual’s own general health, the size of the prostrate and how bothersome the symptoms are — the mere presence of an enlarged prostate gland is not an indication in itself to start therapy. Options include regular examinations, medication, telescopic surgery and open surgery. There are pros and cons to each approach and the treatment has to be tailored to meet an individual patient’s needs.

Dr. Farhat also mentioned that another problem is prostatitis, which is an infection or inflammation of the gland. it frequently affects young to middle-aged men and usually produces painful urinary problems, as well as pain in the lower back and thighs. Antibiotics and pain medications are available to manage this problem but this condition may need to be treated over a longer period of time.

The causes of prostate cancer are still unclear and there is no method to prevent it. However, men can take steps to eat a diet low in fats, with more fish than red meat, green vegetables and fruits rich in folate.  If cancer is diagnosed, doctors use a number of tests to determine if it has spread to other parts of the body or not. for prostate cancer which is limited to the gland itself, there is strong chance of a complete cure either through surgery or radiation therapy.