The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Detect prostate disorder early to avoid surgery, say experts

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Sep 27, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Detect prostate disorder early to avoid surgery, say experts

Staff Reporter

Complications are effectively manageable with new drugs, urologists point out

CHENNAI: Early detection of prostate disorders can help management of the condition with medicines and avoid or postpone surgery, according to urologists.

New drugs such as alpha blockers (that relax tissue) and dutasteride drugs that shrink the prostate gland are helping urologists effectively treat most prostate disorders, provided patients report at an early stage and the complications are manageable. In fact, surgery rates for prostate disorders have dropped dramatically in recent years whereas some time ago it was the only option available.

Underreporting of disorders

Urologists are attributing the gross underreporting of prostate disorders to the reluctance about discussing urinary problems with others, low awareness about the walnut-sized gland and the complications it can trigger in old age among men, or simply, fear of surgery.

Addressing presspersons on Monday in connection with observance of Prostate Health Month worldwide in September, P.B. Sivaraman, Head of Urology, Madras Medical College, said in spite of this underreporting, incidence of prostate disorders was on the increase.

It is estimated that nine out of 10 elderly men will develop prostate enlargement. Of these, only two or three turn symptomatic.

Common prostate problems

The common prostate problems are inflammation, Benign Prostate Hyperglasia (enlargement) and cancers. The effects can be irritation of the bladder or obstruction of it. The worst complication of untreated prostate disorders is kidney failure.

Unlike many other diseases, there is no cause-effect exposition for prostate disorders whose onset is usually from the age of 45. From that age, the gland undergoes microscopic expansion and reaches a stage when many people require medical intervention for.

A prevention plan to avoid prostate disorders is still subject of research.

The slow and progressive nature of enlargement is also one of the reasons for the delay in patients reaching the clinic. "People are seldom aware of the changes in urination routine," said S. Duraisamy, consultant urologist, Apollo Hospital.

New techniques

Now, with new techniques such as uro-flow measurement, it has become possible to objectively assay a patient's urination.

The event was put up by Cipla.

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