Does Having BPH Increase The Risk Of Prostate Cancer?
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If you struggle with the symptoms of an enlarged prostate, you know just how frustrating everyday life can be. You may also wonder how an enlarged prostate, or BPH, impacts your chances of developing prostate cancer. The expert team at Kasraeian Urology in Jacksonville, FL, led by board-certified physicians Dr. Ahmad Kasraeian and Dr. Ali Kasraeian, is highly experienced in diagnosing and treating even the most complex urologic conditions, including BPH and prostate cancer. Read on to learn more about each condition, including whether BPH and prostate cancer are connected.
What is BPH?
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is an enlargement of the prostate gland in men. The prostate often enlarges over time as a natural side effect of the aging process, causing frustrating symptoms in the urinary tract. Common symptoms of BPH include:
- Frequent urination
- Getting up to urinate multiple times at night
- Difficulty voiding
- Incontinence
- Slow or weak urinary stream
- Pushing or straining to void
- Urgency/urgency incontinence
- Constant feeling of needing to urinate
- Hematuria (blood in the urine)
Is BPH dangerous?
BPH is not typically a dangerous condition, though it can cause worsening symptoms and more serious complications if left untreated, including problems in the bladder, kidneys, and urinary tract.
Does having BPH make you more likely to get prostate cancer?
Men with BPH can take comfort in knowing that there is no direct link between BPH and prostate cancer, meaning a patient with BPH is no more likely to develop prostate cancer than a patient without BPH. However, some men with BPH do go on to develop prostate cancer. For this reason, it is important to undergo a regular prostate cancer screening with your urologist via PSA blood test and DRE (digital rectal exam), whether you have BPH or not.
What are the chances I will get BPH or prostate cancer?
Both BPH and prostate cancer are fairly common conditions among men. Factors that may increase your risk for developing BPH and prostate cancer include:
- Being over 40 years of age
- Being African-American
- Having a family history of BPH and/or prostate cancer
- Being overweight
However, having a large prostate on its own does not increase your risk of developing prostate cancer.
How is BPH treated?
Kasraeian Urology is committed to offering the latest and most effective BPH treatment options in Jacksonville, FL to help patients with the rapid, reliable, and long-lasting symptom relief they deserve. Based on the nature and severity of your BPH symptoms, Dr. Kasraeian will recommend the most appropriate course of treatment for you, which may include one or more of the following:
- Oral medications: alpha-blockers and 5-alpha reductase inhibitors are commonly used to improve urinary symptoms and shrink the prostate for further symptom relief
- UroLift: an innovative, long-lasting treatment involving the use of small implants to widen the urethra and prevent prostate tissue from obstructing the flow of urine
- Aquablation: a highly advanced robotic system from PROCEPT is used by Dr. Ali Kasraeian during Aquablation to precisely remove enlarged prostate tissue with heat-free pulses of water
Restore your confidence and get long-lasting symptom relief with advanced BPH treatment in Jacksonville, FL
If the symptoms of an enlarged prostate are interfering with your everyday life, you may be a good candidate for BPH treatment. To learn more about the wide array of cutting-edge BPH treatments available at Kasraeian Urology in Jacksonville, FL, call to schedule your one-on-one consultation with either of our renowned board-certified urologists, Drs. Ahmad and Ali Kasraeian, today!