Introduction
Such medical problems as benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) and prostate cancer are diagnoses that quite a few men face in adulthood. To avoid the dangerous consequences of these diseases, it is necessary for both patients and clinic staff to know the difference between these two ailments. Therefore, treatment plans depend not only on disease stages at which the patient receives treatment but also on the extent to which the employees of the medical institution are professionally prepared.
Findings of BPH and Prostate Cancer
The syndrome of BPH frequently occurs among men and like prostate cancer it develops gradually. Both these diseases can be diagnosed at an early stage. Despite a widespread opinion that such problems are found in older men, many people are at risk. The fight against these dangerous ailments is quite complicated and expensive. Thus, for example, as Barry et al. (2017) note, “annual costs for the surgical care of BPH in the United States is more than $3.5 billion” (p. S189). Also, according to Sweeney et al. (2015), prostate cancer is the cause of the death of a large number of men who are “both the elderly and less than seventy-five” (p. 737). Despite the fact that these two diseases are associated with one organ, the plan of treatment and care will differ. First of all, cancer requires not only surgical intervention but also other procedures, for example, chemotherapy. To solve the problem with BPH, an operation by a qualified specialist is usually sufficient. Cancer symptoms include problems with urination and pain, backache, and discomfort in the pelvis. BPH is also accompanied by difficult urination, as well as impaired kidney function and the formation of stones in the urinary tract.
Significance of the PSA Testing
PSA (prostatic specific antigen) is a protein synthesized by the prostate gland, the level of which is measured with a blood test. When determining the level of this element, the size of the prostate gland is taken into account. The more massive this organ is, the higher the PSA indicator will be (Jemal et al., 2015). Prostate cancer can also form with a low level of this protein. The prostatic specific antigen is found in the blood both in free and in bound forms. The lower the percentage of free PSA is, the more likely it is that the increase in the level of this protein is caused by a cancerous tumor. Thus, the significance of such testing is very high.
Differences Between BPH and Prostate Cancer
Despite the fact that both these ailments are associated with the prostate gland, their symptoms and causes may vary. One of the differences is that, for example, prostate cancer is a consequence of BPH and very often occurs because of any pathological changes (Jemal et al., 2015). Also, much more time and effort are required to treat cancer. Patients have to undergo chemotherapy and rehabilitation. To treat BPH, it is enough to agree to an operation, and the chance of success will be very high. It is essential not to put off treatment, and the recovery period will pass quickly and without serious complications.
Treatment Plans
Treatment plans for prostate cancer and BPH will undoubtedly be different. In the first case, it is vital to diagnose the disease in time and begin the treatment process. It is necessary to take into account the stage of the ailment and examine the injured organ for metastases. However, cancer can be treated only with the help of surgical intervention. If necessary, it is essential to resort to chemotherapy. As far as BPH is concerned, treatment begins with conservative methods, and operation is unavoidable if they do not produce expected results.
Conclusion
Thus, treatment plans depend on the stages of diseases. Nevertheless, doctors’ and nurses’ qualifications play a significant role. Differences between BPH and prostate cancer require individual approaches. In the process of treatment, PSA testing is necessary as it helps to prevent potentially fatal outcomes and diagnose a particular disease timely.
References
Barry, M. J., Fowler, F. J., O’leary, M. P., Bruskewitz, R. C., Holtgrewe, H. L., Mebust, W. K., & Cockett, A. T. K. (2017). The American Urological Association symptom index for benign prostatic hyperplasia. The Journal of Urology, 197(2), S189-S197.
Jemal, A., Fedewa, S. A., Ma, J., Siegel, R., Lin, C. C., Brawley, O., & Ward, E. M. (2015). Prostate cancer incidence and PSA testing patterns in relation to USPSTF screening recommendations. JAMA, 314(19), 2054-2061.
Sweeney, C. J., Chen, Y. H., Carducci, M., Liu, G., Jarrard, D. F., Eisenberger, M., … DiPaola, R. S. (2015). Chemohormonal therapy in metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer. The New England Journal of Medicine, 373(8), 737-746.