Urological Disorders

Prostate Disease

What is prostate disease?

There are clinical conditions of the prostate gland that are not cancer, as well as those that are cancer.

What are benign (non-cancerous) prostate problems?

The clinical conditions of the prostate gland that are not cancer include infections, inflammations, or an enlarged prostate. These conditions are quite common and may happen to men of all ages. They include:

prostatism - any condition of the prostate that causes interference with the flow of urine from the bladder.

prostatitis - an inflamed condition of the prostate gland that may be accompanied by discomfort, pain, frequent urination, infrequent urination, and sometimes fever.

benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) - an enlargement of the prostate -- the most common prostate disorder. It can cause discomfort and problems urinating. BPH can raise PSA (prostate-specific antigen) levels two to three times higher than the normal level. Although PSA level does not tell whether you have cancer, the higher the PSA level, the higher your chance of having cancer.

impotence - the inability to have or keep an erection.

urinary incontinence - the loss of bladder control.

This page was last updated on: February 28, 2008.

For more information, call the University Physicians Consultation and Referral Service at 1-800-492-5538 (patients) or 1-800-373-4111 (physicians).

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