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Living with Prostate Cancer
PROSTATE ANATOMY
CHANGES CAN OCCUR WITH AGE
As a man ages, his prostate may change. Noncancerous (benign)
growths may form. Or some cells may change into precancerous cells. And cancerous cells may form a malignant tumor.
To understand how your cancer is diagnosed and treated, learn about your prostate and how it may change.
Prostate Anatomy
The prostate is a gland about the size and shape of a walnut. The
prostate is located between the pubic bone and rectum. It surrounds the upper part of the urethra, the tube that
carries urine from the bladder.
Role of the Prostate
The prostate produces most of the semen in which sperm travel.
During orgasm, semen mixes with nutrients from the seminal vesicles and sperm produced by the testicles (testes).
The semen then exits the body through the urethra. Testicles also produce testosterone (the main male hormone),
which affects how the prostate functions.
The Changing Prostate
Inside a changing prostate, groups of cells may form tumors or
other growths. These may be benign, but they may still cause symptoms. For some men, cancerous cells may form
within the prostate but grow too slowly to cause problems. In other cases, cancerous tumors may grow inside the
prostate, then spread.
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- Noncancerous growths. These may grow inside the prostate as
a man ages. This condition is called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). These growths often squeeze the urethra,
causing symptoms such as difficulty urinating.
- Precancerous cells. These cells
don't appear normal, but they haven't grown into a tumor. They can't be felt during a physical exam and they don't
produce symptoms.
- Cancerous tumors. These form most often in the
prostate's outer tissue. Cancer cells may stay inside the prostate. Or they may spread to nearby organs, such as the seminal vesicles or lymph nodes. Cancer can also spread to
the bones, lungs, or other tissue. Many early-stage tumors don't squeeze the urethra, so they may not cause symptoms. Some tumors can be felt during an exam, but others can't.
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Precancerous cells may be found while you're being tested or treated
for another condition. If so, your urologist will monitor your prostate closely to see how these cells develop.
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