Prostate and UT Cancers Flashcards
What are the 3 Zones of the Prostate Gland?
Transitional
Central
Peripheral
Why are the prostate gland zones important?
The Prostate Gland Zones are important as they have implications of the disease pathway and different propensities to disease
The reason being that each zone is derived from different embryological layers i.e. Transitional Zone is derived from Mesoderm and Peripheral Zone is derived from the Endoderm.
What disease pathways affect which zones of the prostate gland?
The transitional zone tends to be more prone to benign prostate enlargement/hyperplasia (BPE/BPH) which causes an inability to pee (retention).
The peripheral zone tends to be more prone to cancers
Can prostate hyperplasia be normal?
Yes.
As the male increases in age, the prostate gland tends to increase in size due to the influence of the androgen hormones, which affect predominantly the transitional and central zones of the prostate.
What is the issue with BPH?
Affected zones border the urethra and so, can obstruct urinary flow, causing the LUT symptoms associated with it.
Generally, the Central Zone is more affected and obstructions can be fixed via Trans-Urethral Resection.
What are symptoms of prostate cancer?
THE MAJORITY OF PATIENTS ARE ASYMPTOMATIC ON PRESENTATION.
LUT Symptoms (if the Transitional Zone affected)
Haematuria/Haematospermia
Bone pain (consider mets)
Anorexia
Weight loss
On DRE; a hard, firm prostate with an asymmetry, singular nodules, fixed craggy mass which indicates abnormality (one possibility is abnormal prostate due to tumour growth in cancer)
What are investigations for prostate cancer?
PSA
DRE
What is important to remember with PSA?
Note that PSA is not a prostate cancer specific antigen but is prostate specific. Therefore, it highlights anything that is wrong with prostate as any prostate abnormality can cause PSA increase e.g. infection, enlargement, prostatitis, retention, catheterisation, abnormal DRE
Why is there no screening for prostate cancer in the UK?
It is extremely slow growing
What is PSA?
A protein that causes liquefication of semen
ALL PATIENTS WITH HIGH PSA WARRANT FURTHER INVESTIGATION
Generally, patients with PSA in their 1000s tend to have cancer
.
What is important to remember when it comes to measuring PSA levels?
The extremely high-grade (nasty) cancers do NOT produce PSA as the higher the grade of cancer, the more abnormal the cell is and therefore, the less likely they are to behave like normal cells.
NEVER DO A PSA SCREEN AFTER A DRE/PR EXAM AS RUBBING THE PROSTATE DURING THE EXAM CAUSES A PSA INCREASE.
Increasing PSA during/after treatment can indicate Recurrence of Cancer
When is trans-rectal biopsy for prostate cancer indicated?
Men with abnormal DRE
Previous biopsies with Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia
Normal biopsy but rising PSA
How many biopsies are taken from the prostate gland and why?
10 biopsies are taken from the prostate (5 from each lobe) or sometimes, more
The majority of prostate cancers are multifocal adenocarcinomas
What grading is used for prostate cancer and how does it work?
Gleason’s Scoring
2 most abundant cell features are assessed and added together to make a combined score i.e. The Gleason’s Score.
1-5 is Microscopic
6 = Low Grade
7 = Immediate Risk
>7 = High Risk
How is staging for prostate cancer done?
TMN Staging