Prostrate & Scrotum/Testes Flashcards
What is BPH?
Discuss the pathphysiology
Is it common?
- Benign prostatic hyperplasia is enlargement of prostrate gland due to hyperplasia of the glandular epithelial & stromal tissue of prostate.
- Prostrate converts testosterone into DHT using 5-alpha reductase; DHT is more potent. Prostate remains responsive to testosterone throughout lifetime- unlike other organs. Androgens have a role in the hyperplasia.
- Very common:
- 40% of >50yrs have enlargement
- 90% of >80yrs have enlargement
State some risk factors for BPH
- Age
- Family history
- Afro carribean ethnicity
- Obesity
Describe clinical features of BPH
- LUTs
- Voiding: hesitancy, weak stream, terminal dribbling, incomplete emptying
- Storage: urinary frequency, noctural, nocturnal enuresis urge incontinence
- Haematuria (less common)
- Haematospermia (less common)
Before you do any investigations, alongside your history what else should you do if you suspect BPH?
- DRE
- IPSS (International prostrate symptom score)
Remind yourself of a summary of the IPSS
What investigations would you do if you suspect BPH?
For each, state why
- Urinary frequency volume chart
- Urinalysis (rule out UTI)
- Post void bladder scan (is there any retention)
- Flow rate (poor flow suggest obstruction)
- PSA (raised in malignancy- but may also be slightly raised anyway)
- USS of renal tract (volume of prostrate, retention, hydronephrosis)
- Urodynamic studies (can work out Bladder Outlet Obstruction Index using values from this. This can help diagnoses obstruttive voiding related to bPH)
Discuss the management of BPH, include:
- Conservative
- Medical
- Surgical
Conservative
- Lifestyle advice: moderating caffeine & alcohol intake, not drinking excessive fluid
- Double voiding
- Medication review
Medical
- Alpha adrenoceptor blocker e.g. tamsulosin
- Add 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors e.g. finasteride
Surgical
- TURP (transurethral resection of prostate)
- TUVP (transurethral electrovapourisation of prostate)- uses electrical current
- Holmium laser enucleation of prostate (HoLEP)
- Open prostatectomy via abdo or perineal incision
Explain how alpha-adrenoceptor blockers work
State some side effects
- Block alpha-adrenoceptors hence they relaxing the muscles in bladder and prostrate (relaxes muscles around bladder neck)- aims to reduce outflow obstruction
- Side effects:
- Hypotension (dizziness, falls etc…)
- Ejaculation problems (little or not ejaculate)
Explain how 5-alpha reductase inhibitors work in BPH
How long do they take to work?
Side effects?
Use when having intercourse with woman of child bearing age?
- 5-alpha reductase converts testosterone into DHT. Inhibits 5-alpha reductase hence decreases DHT formation. Androgens cause prosatic enlargement and DHT is more potent than tesosterone. Hence preventing DHT formation decreases prostatic volume
- 6 months
- Side effects:
- Decreased libido
- Decreased volume of ejactulate
- Can get into semen and harm unborn baby therefore if having intercourse with partner who is pregnant or may get pregnant must wear condom
For TURP, discuss:
- Procedure
- Potential complications
*complications can be remembered by FIRES HIT
- Endoscopic removal of the obstrutive prostate tissue, to increase urethral lumen size, using diathermy loop
- Potential complications:
- Failure to resolve symptoms
- Incontinence (1 in 10 have early, 1in 100have long term)
- Retrograde ejaculation (80%)
- Erectile dysfunction (10%)
- Urtethral strictures
- Haemorrhage
- Infection
- TURP syndrome
State some potential complications of BPH
- High pressure retention (which has complications such as AKI)
- Recurrent UTIs
- Significant haematuria episodes
What is TURP syndrome?
- Rare, life-threatening complications of TURP
- TURP using monopolar energy (electric current flowing in one direction) requires use of hyperosmolar irrigation
- If fluid enters circulation through exposed venous beds can cause fluid overload & hyponatraemia
- Presentation:
- Confused
- Nausea
- Agitation
- Visual cahnges
- Must reduce fluid overload and carefully corec hyponatraemia
- Increasingly rare as now use bipolar energy (energy stays in device) which uses isotonic irrigation fluids so TURP syndrome risk reduced
Prostate cancer is not the most common cancer in men; true or false?
FALSE- it is the most common cancer in men
State some risk factors for prostate cancer- highlight main ones
- Age
- Ethnicity (afrocarribean twice as likely as caucasian)
- FH of prostate Ca (only 9%)
- BRCA1 or BRCA 2 gene
- Smoking (increase risk of prostate ca related death)
- DM
- Obesity
- Degree of exercise (protective)
Discuss the pathophysiology of prostrate cancer, include:
- Hormones that influence it
- Most common type of ancer
- Which zone in prostate the cancer typically occurs
- Aetilogy unknown but agreed that growth of prostrate cancer influenced by androgens
-
Majority of adenocarcinomas (>95%):
- Acinar adenocarcinoma: originate in glandular cells- most common form
- Ductal adenocarcinoma: originates in cells that line ducts. Tends to grow & metastatise further than acinar
- Zones affected:
- 75% arise from peripheral zone
- 20% in transitional
- 5% central
- Often multifocal
Describe the clinical features of prostrate cancer
Symptoms depends on stage of disease:
- LUTs: weak stream, increased frequency, urgency, haematuria, dysuria, incontinence, haematospermia, suprapubi pain, rectal tenesmus, loin pain
- Lethargy
- Unexplained weight loss
- Boone pain
- Anorexia
What examination is KEY if you suspect prostrate cancer?
DRE
- Asymmetry
- Nodularity
- Fixed irregular mass
What investigations should you do for suspected prostate cancer?
-
PSA
- Further calculations can be done e.g. free:total PSA ratio (low= increased chance cancer), PSA density (high= increased chance cancer)
-
Biopsies:
- Transperineal
- Transrectal ultrasound guided (TRUS)
- Multi-parametric MRI
- Staging CT/CT abdo pelvis
- Isotope bone scan
- *NOTE: if first biopsy negative a repeat biopsy is reccommended if rising or elevated PSA and/or suspicious DRE*
- *NOTE: some centres do MRI prior to biopsy to identify abnormal areas and guide biopsy. Some only do if had negative biopsy for for active surveillance*
When should you do PSA test and why?
Traditionally do PSA piror to DRE to avoid stimulating release of PSA
What is the defintive investigation for diagnosing prostate cancer?
Biopsy
- Transperineal
- Transrectal US guided (TRUS)
Discuss advanatages and disadvantages of TRUS biopsies and transperineal biopsies
-
TRUS
- Quicker
- Local anaesthetic
-
Trasnperineal
- Allows more biopsies to be taken
- Higher sensitivity
- Lower infecion risk
- Takes longer
- Requires GA
What grading system is used to grade prostate cancers based on histological appearance?
Explain this grading system
- Gleason grading system
- Higher grade= worse prognosis
First number= most prevelant grade
Second number= second most prevelant grade
Total number is the above two added together but best to say Gleason grad 3+4=7 etc…
Discuss how we decide how best to manage pts with prostrate cancer
*HINT: how do we assess risk and how do we manage each level of risk
- Risk stratification using Gleason grade, TNM staging and PSA
- Low: active surveillance
- Intermediate: active surveillance or radical treatment
- High risk: radical treatment (radiotherapy or prostratectomy)
- Metastatic disease: chemotherapy & anti-hormonal agents
- Castrate resistant: further chemotherapy
*** SUMMARY: locacalised or locally advanced= radical treatment, hormones & chemo for metastatic