PROSTATE CANCER
Anatomy
The prostate gland is found only in the male reproductive system, being located below the bladder and surrounding the tube (urethra) that carries urine from the bladder to the penis. Any enlargement of the gland therefore tends to constrict urine flow through the tube, giving early indications of possible problems. The prostate is normally about the size of a walnut and is very important for a man's sex life, producing some of the fluid in semen, which mixes with the sperm produced by the testes. It also produces a protein called prostate-specific antigen (PSA) that turns the semen into liquid. When something goes wrong with the prostate, it can affect a man's sex life, his long-term health and with prostate cancer can lead to death. There is a consistent rise in the aging male in the size of the prostate and therefore the level of PSA which although normally secreted into semen or lost in urine, also spills over into the bloodstream where it can be measured.
The gland is surrounded by a sheet of muscle and a fibrous capsule. The growth of prostate cells and the way the prostate gland works is dependent on the male sex hormone, testosterone, which is produced in the testicles.
The rectum (back passage) is close to the rear part of the prostate gland. Near to the prostate are collections of lymph nodes. These are small glands, about the size of a bean.
