As a mysterious organ of men, prostate is known as a man’s “life gland”, which not only provides nutrition by secreting prostate fluid sperm, but also controls urination, Very important for men.
In recent years, more and more people have paid attention to prostate diseases,especially prostate cancer, which has become the malignant tumor with the highest incidence among male urinary system tumors in my country. Often described as a “silent killer”. But there are always people who are stupidly unclear about the relationship between prostatitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer.
Below, according to the attention of Tencent Medical Code netizens, I will answer the 7 prostate problems you care about.
Misunderstanding 1 If chronic prostatitis cannot be cured, will it turn into prostate cancer?
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It is safe to say that this conclusion is baseless.
The cause of prostate cancer is not well understood, but may be related to race, genetics, environment, food, smoking, and other factors. Studies suggest that dihydrotestosterone plays an important role in the occurrence of prostate cancer, and epidemiological studies also believe that the prerequisites for prostate cancer are male, age increase and androgen stimulation.
Clinically, the incidence of chronic prostatitis is high in young adults, while prostate cancer is more common in older men.
Acute exacerbation of prostatitis can cause fever and burning pain during urination, and can also cause a temporary increase in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) values, but usually anti-inflammatory treatment, these Inflammation subsides quickly, and PSA drops rapidly to normal levels within a short period of time.
Prostatitis does not affect testicular secretion of androgens and hormone metabolism. Epidemiological studies have not found an inevitable relationship between chronic prostatitis and prostate cancer. Of course, for elderly patients with prostatitis, it is still necessary to check PSA regularly to avoid missed diagnosis and delay the best time for treatment. [1~5]
Misunderstanding 2 Will prostate puncture hurt? Need anesthesia?
Puncture pain is minimal, usually with anesthesia.
Under normal circumstances, most hospitals will perform local mucosal surface anesthesia before transrectal prostate puncture, and transperineal puncture requires local infiltration anesthesia.
Prostate biopsy is uncomfortable mainly due to two aspects: one is the discomfort caused by placing the ultrasound probe and puncture gun into the rectum, which is similar to digital rectal examination, and most of them can be tolerated; the other is the puncture There is some discomfort when the needle is inserted through the rectal wall into the prostate.
However, because the puncture needle is thin and the needle insertion is completed quickly and instantly, the pain is less when the patient is calm and relaxed, and it is generally tolerable. A small number of patients still feel local pain after puncture, which can be dealt with by oral analgesics.
Misunderstanding 3 If a man often masturbates, will he get prostate cancer?
Masturbation is a common phenomenon in men. Frequent masturbation may cause prostate congestion and congestion, but excessive abstinence can also cause prostatic fluid accumulation.
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The impact of male masturbation on the body and mind is more due to the psychological burden brought by frequent masturbation. Most adult men do not have to worry about masturbation-induced prostatitis as long as they grasp a certain frequency of masturbation. Masturbation can also help to clear the prostatic fluid and relieve the blood stasis in the prostate, which has a certain positive effect on protecting and restoring the function of the prostate.
There is no scientific evidence that frequent masturbation can cause prostate cancer.
Misunderstanding 4 Can lycopene prevent prostate cancer?
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Eating more tomatoes is not a reliable way to prevent prostate cancer. Although lycopene is beneficial, it is not enough to “fight cancer”.
Eating more fruits and vegetables can reduce your risk of cancer. The researchers believe that this benefit may be related to the micronutrients contained in fruits and vegetables.
Carotenoids are a group of nutrients thought to have chemopreventive effects. Lycopene is a common circulating carotenoid that has a variety of potential activities, including antioxidant effects, and is present in many vegetables, includingThe most common is tomatoes. If these foods are cooked and there is oil at the same time, lycopene will be more easily absorbed by the body.
However, the current study, based on an analysis of published data, concluded that there is insufficient evidence that lycopene reduces the risk of prostate cancer, and that lycopene supplementation reduces the risk of prostate cancer remains to be proven . [6]
Misunderstanding 5 Can selenium and vitamin E supplementation prevent prostate cancer?
No.
A large randomized, placebo-controlled trial of selenium and vitamin E in cancer prevention provides credible evidence for the role of vitamin E and selenium in cancer prevention. However, vitamin E and selenium supplementation did not reduce the risk of prostate cancer, and vitamin E alone increased the risk of prostate cancer.
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Notably, the increased risk of prostate cancer with vitamin E was found after supplementation was discontinued, suggesting that vitamin E may have long-term effects. [7]
Misunderstanding 6 Is having prostate cancer equal to “death sentence”?
Prostate cancer usually develops relatively slowly, and it grows, spreads, and metastasizes much more slowly than tumors such as lung and liver cancer.
In general, prostate cancer does not affect life expectancy, and most patients with prostate cancer die from other systemic diseases.
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In the United States, prostate cancer has a 5-year survival rate of 99% and has the best prognosis among all types of malignancies. For early-stage prostate cancer, the 5-year survival rate after radical surgery is almost 100%, and the 10-year survival rate can also reach 90%. Radical radiotherapy can also achieve better results in patients who are older or in poor health and cannot tolerate surgery.
Therefore, after a diagnosis of prostate cancer, patients and their families should actively seek help from a specialist, who will consider a combination of factors such as the patient’s life expectancy, tumor stage and grade, and the presence or absence of distant metastasis. Finally, an individualized treatment plan is formulated for the patient.
In addition, techniques such as cryoablation and internal radiation therapy can also be used as appropriate for individualized treatment.
At present, many patients in our country are already in the middle and late stages when they are diagnosed, and comprehensive treatment based on endocrine therapy can still be used to control the development of the disease and prolong life expectancy.
Misunderstanding 7 Will I lose sexual function after prostatectomy?
Erectile dysfunction occurs in most patients after surgery, but usually returns to normal within a year after surgery.
Erectile function is innervated by nerves. There are structures called “neurovascular bundles” on both posterolateral sides of the prostate. The nerves that control penile erection are included in this structure.
Traditional radical prostatectomy, in order to remove the lesion as completely as possible, usually damages the “neurovascular bundle”, which results in erectile dysfunction in most patients after surgery.
The radical prostatectomy performed in recent years is to preserve the neurovascular bundle as completely as possible on the premise of ensuring complete tumor resection, thereby preserving sexual function as much as possible. Therefore, with the development of neurovascular bundle protection technology, most patients can return to normal sexual function within one year after surgery.
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