In the article, we will examine the difference between prostate adenoma and cancer.
To date, these pathologies are considered one of the most common male diseases in the older age group. Most patients seek medical help only when clinical symptoms become most pronounced, and the pathological disorders that occur in this organ are irreversible.
In order to prevent the occurrence of a malignant or benign tumor in the prostate, it is important to seek help when the first symptoms appear.
Many people wonder if prostate adenoma in men is cancer? Let's figure it out.
The lack of specific medical knowledge often leads the patient to incorrect conclusions about his condition and the denial of the likelihood of developing cancer. The therapy process in the late stages of any disease is not only quite long, but also accompanied by many unpleasant, and sometimes very painful procedures. It is in this connection that it is important to consult a doctor already at the occurrence of the first alarming signs. In this case, the patient has a maximum chance of recovery.
How do prostate cancer and adenoma manifest?
General clinical picture, identical signs of disease
According to modern statistics, most men deny the possibility of any kind of urological pathology, even if its clinical symptoms are pronounced. This is partly due to fear of treatment, and sometimes the reason for this is the elementary delicacy of the male problem. Therefore, the vast majority of patients go to the doctor only when the disease is in an acute stage, and requires a long and persistent treatment. In general, the symptoms of cancer and prostate adenomas are similar.
It is important to be able to recognize the signs of pathologies in a timely manner, which will save the patient from the use of radical methods of therapy, and will eliminate the disease through minimal therapeutic measures.
Erection problems
The development of adenoma or prostate cancer leads to the development of erection problems. Despite the fact that these diseases have different pathogenesis, the clinical picture, etiology, and some symptoms of pathologies are largely similar. As a rule, this similarity appears only in the early stages of development.
Other similar symptoms
Among the identical symptoms, the following symptoms can be distinguished:
- Difficulties of a various nature that arise during urination, for example, burning, pain, itching, the regular appearance of a feeling of excessive fullness of the bladder even after visiting the toilet.
- Constant urge to urinate, which occurs mainly in the evening and at night.
- Soreness, burning, itching in the inguinal region, lower abdomen.
- Erectile disorders of various nature, for example, a decrease in potency, the absence or decrease in intimate desire.
- Groin pain. These pathologies are always accompanied by the appearance of pain in the groin and disorders of urination.
- Severe soreness that occurs during bowel movements.
Symptoms such as fatigue, deterioration of general well-being, weakness, cephalgia, and deterioration of the immune system are not excluded.
Any of the above signs is considered a direct prerequisite for contacting a urologist. Ignoring unpleasant symptoms can lead to the development of complications or to the development of advanced forms of the pathological process.
Before talking about cancer, prostate adenoma will be considered in more detail.
Symptoms of prostate adenoma
The main signs of adenoma, regardless of the stage of the course of the disease, are almost similar to the manifestations of oncological pathology in the early stages. These include, first of all, urination disorders, erectile problems, as well as poor health.
In the form of the main and most striking difference between adenomas, experts call the course of the disease. With the progression of such a disorder as hyperplasia, that is, pathological tissue growth, a benign tumor increases evenly. Against the background of such changes, a narrowing of the urinary canals occurs, which is due to the above symptoms.
Late Stage Phenomena
As the benign neoplasm grows, the urinary ducts begin to narrow and there are obvious problems with urination.
At the later stages of development of adenomas, that is, as the pathological process progresses and the tumor grows, the following phenomena may disturb the patient:
- Incomplete bladder emptying. After going to the toilet, the patient again feels the urge to urinate. The reason for the development of this symptom is a narrowing of the urinary canals, that is, a significant portion of urine is not allocated when visiting the toilet.
- In the early stages of adenoma, a man notes the development of problems with urination only at night. With further progression of the disease, such a symptom begins to occur during the day, and often the symptom is accompanied by feelings of severe soreness.
- Severe pain is not excluded during the act of defecation, which occurs in the lumbar region and anus.
All of the above signs indicate that the pathological process is at the 2nd or 3rd stage. It is impossible to procrastinate with treatment during this period, because only with the timely receipt of medical prescriptions is there a chance that the disease can be completely cured in a conservative way. At later stages, surgery will be required, which is fraught with multiple negative consequences and a long recovery period.
We continue to consider the symptoms of cancer and prostate adenomas in men.
Signs of cancer
Symptoms of oncology, that is, the formation of a malignant tumor in the prostate, have a certain similarity with the signs of adenoma, but this is observed only in the early stages. With the progression of the disease and the spread of metastasis, the symptomatology acquires a slightly different character, not only general, but also local signs are noted. Among the most common of them are:
- Often in the process of ejaculation, the patient feels intense pain. In addition, the appearance of bloody impurities in semen or staining of sperm in pink is not ruled out. In the later stages of the oncological disease, purulent masses may be released during ejaculation.
- Lack of appetite.
- Prostate cancer is accompanied by severe weakness.
- Vein-shaped blood may also be present in urine. In this case, urination is accompanied by acute pain in the urethra and lower abdomen. The appearance of pus is also considered a characteristic sign of cancer.
Worsening well-being
In the process of growth of a malignant tumor, there is a strong deterioration in well-being. The patient complains of such symptoms: partial or complete lack of appetite, systematically occurring dizziness, progressive weight loss, severe fatigue.
To distinguish prostate adenoma from prostate cancer in the early stages is possible only through appropriate diagnostic procedures. In this case, a biopsy is most often used.
Uneven growth
Unlike gland adenoma, the growth of a malignant tumor and metastasis occurs unevenly. Narrowing the urinary tract and problems with urinating the patient may not bother at all. However, metastases, which are lesions by pathological cells of other tissues and internal organs, are the main cause of deterioration in general condition and weight loss.
It should be noted that malignant prostate tumors progress at a relatively slow pace and are almost not accompanied by a negative clinical picture. It is for such reasons that most patients go to a medical institution only with advanced forms of the disease.
What is the treatment for prostate cancer and adenomas?
Distinctive signs and treatment
In medicine, there is a certain classification, which determines the degree of development of cancer. To apply a similar scale is also permissible for such a disease as gland hyperplasia. It is important to note that in the first two stages of these pathologies, the prognosis for cure is almost always positive. The combination of surgical and medical treatment of cancer and prostate adenoma can completely eliminate malignant and benign tumors and return the patient to a normal life.
At the second and third stages, the forecasts are not optimistic, especially with pathologies of oncological nature. Most often, a radical spread of metastases occurs in this period. Cancer cells enter not only the tissues and organs of the small pelvis, but also invade the bone system. Such pathological disorders are often irreversible and occur with severe pain, which can be eliminated only with the help of potent medications.
With cancer and prostate adenoma, surgery is often performed to remove a malignant or benign neoplasm.
Fourth stage
This stage of prostate cancer is characterized by symptoms that become extremely acute, metastases are observed in the lymph nodes, and it can be extremely difficult to save the patient. The fourth stage of cancer is practically not amenable to therapy. During this period, the neoplasm reaches its maximum size, there is an increase in metastases in the bones and soft tissues, the patient suffers from severe pain, the general state of health worsens significantly, the patient loses weight intensively.
Now it’s clear how grade 4 cancer appears. The fourth stage prostate adenoma is characterized by such symptoms as blood secretion with seminal fluid and urine, impotence, lack of sex drive, pain in the groin and pelvic area. Therapy of gland hyperplasia at this stage is possible only through a combination of radical and conservative therapy, that is, surgical intervention and the use of potent medications.
It is almost impossible to completely cure cancer in stages III-IV, and the main symptoms of this disease appear precisely at these stages. This distinguishes cancer from adenoma, when at the III-IV stage the disease lends itself to radical therapy.
Is prostate adenoma and cancer treated with folk remedies?
When the disease is at an early stage or has a mild form, that is a real chance to cure it with natural "medicines." Folk beneficial agents have a general strengthening effect on the man's body. The inflammatory process is blocked, and organ tissues are restored. As a result, the prostate begins to work normally. To cure prostatitis in men, folk remedies use honey, garlic, pumpkin seeds, hazel, parsley, chestnut tea, herbs, aspen bark, and so on.
Folk remedies can not be taken as an alternative to official medicine, but only as a supplement. They cannot completely fix the problem, but they effectively eliminate the symptoms.
Can prostate adenoma develop into cancer?
Under certain conditions, an adenoma can develop into oncology. This point is sometimes impossible to notice, since benign and malignant pathological processes have similar clinical manifestations. With the development of adenomas at some point, neoplastic cells can be transformed from benign to atypical, which leads to the development of cancer. They begin to randomly and uncontrollably divide, as a result of which an oncological tumor is formed.
Reviews
According to the information from the reviews, in most cases older men suffer from these diseases. Prostate adenoma develops in many, but it does not always go into cancer. Men note that with effective treatment, the disease can be eliminated at an early stage. Those who have had malignant tumors say that they underwent serious radical treatment - surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. With prostate adenoma, surgery was used only in the later stages, previously, patients were prescribed medication. Men note that such therapy has not always helped to cure the adenoma, and in these cases, the neoplasm is removed surgically. After the operation, treatment is prescribed that helps restore prostate function, eliminate erectile dysfunction and return to a normal lifestyle.
We examined how prostate cancer and adenoma manifest.