In-depth screening for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH): Analysis of rectal palpation, PSA tumor markers, and multidimensional medical diagnostic indicators.

What to do about benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)? In the early stages, BPH only causes mild pain. Once symptoms of significant BPH appear and cause pain, you should consult a urologist immediately. The following examination methods are available: Rectal palpation: The doctor can examine the prostate by palpating the rectum with one finger. A healthy prostate should have a shape similar to the tip of a nose. Estimating the shape and size of the prostate using this method is not very accurate. If abnormalities or hardening of the prostate are found, questions will naturally arise. In such cases, a tissue sample is usually taken from the gland for testing. Urine test: A urine test checks for sugar and protein levels, as well as bacteria, red blood cells, pus cells, or other pathogens. Uroflowmetry: Urine flow testing is a recognized modern method. During the test, the patient urinates into a special container equipped with a tube and an electronic monitoring device that displays the urination results as a graph. This method can detect bladder emptying problems in older men with BPH, as well as urethral strictures or problems with coordination between the bladder and sphincter muscles. Blood tests: For men experiencing pain due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), it is recommended to test serum uric acid and creatinine. While these elevations do not necessarily cause urinary problems, urethral stricture caused by BPH is a significant and preventable cause of chronic kidney disease. Ultrasound examination: Ultrasound examination of the prostate can sometimes differentiate between benign and malignant prostate lesions, or whether inflammation is present. A more modern method is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tomography, which visualizes the prostate. This can accurately determine the size of the prostate and provide clues about whether a prostate lesion is benign or malignant. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a tumor marker. PSA has two properties: on the one hand, it can increase in some cases when a man has benign prostatic hyperplasia; on the other hand, it is also a tumor marker. Elevated PSA levels in the blood can indicate prostate cancer. Patients may have been suffering from the disease for years before a tumor can be felt or the initial pain is noticed. The current standard values ​​are as follows: under 50 years old, the maximum is 2.5 nanograms per milliliter; 50-60 years old, the maximum is 3.5 nanograms per milliliter; 61-70 years old, the maximum is 4.5 nanograms per milliliter; and over 70 years old, the maximum is 6.5 nanograms per milliliter. If the PSA level in the blood has risen to a very high level (greater than 10), it is highly likely that the patient has prostate cancer. In this case, it means that the cancer cells have likely spread to the bone (metastasis). However, the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level may also increase after prostate surgery or examination. In addition, a mixture of enzymes, namely acid phosphatase, can also be considered a marker of prostate cancer. It is a mixture of enzymes secreted by cells that break down bone. In the early stages, this value is only 10% to 20%. Its elevation mostly means that cancer cells have spread and metastasized. A biopsy of the prostate: if the sample result is negative, it means that there is no cancer. But even so, prostate disease still has many typical manifestations.