Enlarged prostate is a common condition among older men. Enlargement of this gland can cause symptoms of urinary discomfort – blockage (obstruction) of the bladder, urinary tract, or kidney problems.
Complications of this condition include:
- Inability to urinate (urinary retention)
- Urinary tract infections
- Bladder stones
- Bladder damage
- Kidney damage
Most men with an enlarged prostate will not develop such complications. However, kidney damage and acute urinary retention can be health hazards.
Experts like Dr. Charles Nutting say that an enlarged prostate does not actually increase the risks of developing prostate cancer.
The causes of prostate cancer are still disputed. Progressive genetic mutations in prostate cells cause them to divide more rapidly and uncontrollably and thus form a tumor that, untreated, has the potential to spread locally and remotely.
Experts distinguish three significant types of prostate cancer risk:
- The general risk of the population describes sporadic cancers that occur by chance or as a result of individual factors.
- Family cancer risk describes the risk of cancer that occurs due to both environmental and genetic factors.
- Hereditary cancers in which mutations occur in germ cells (egg, sperm) and are present in every body cell.
Factors that may increase the risk of prostate cancer include old age, race, family medical history, hormones, and obesity.
