What is the treatment for BPH?
Those patients with mild symptoms of BPH may be treated with oral medications (prostate muscle relaxants, hormone suppressors, bladder relaxants) and/or behavorial changes. For BPH that is so severe as to cause inability to urinate freely or inability to empty the urinary bladder because of the blockage of the urethra, TransUrethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP) is the treatment of choice. This surgery is done with a cystoscope passed through the penis, to remove hypertrophied prostatic tissues blocking the urethra and the bladder. Laser may also be used to remove these tissues. The results from TURP are very good to excellent. What about for Cancer of the Prostate? Localized cancer of the prostate gland may be CURED by Radical RetroPubic Prostatectomy (RRPP), with an incision done in the lower abdomen, about 4 inches above the front base of the penis. However, if there is extensive local spread, if the patient is too old or in poor health, or if there is already metastasis (distant
