Prostate Health - Douglas Ankrom, MD

Ask A Doctor
Douglas Ankrom, MD
Prostate Health

Q: What is a prostate?
A: A prostate is a gland only present in men. It contributes to the fluid in semen but doesn’t do much else. It can cause a lot of problems.

Q: At what age do I need to begin to be concerned about my prostate health?
A: Unless there is a family history of prostate cancer, age 50 is typically when we begin annual exams and PSA screening to check for prostate cancer. Symptoms of an enlarged prostate and risk for prostate cancer can increase as men age.

Q: What is BPH and what causes this condition? Can it be prevented?
A: Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) is commonly known as an enlarged prostate. The condition is dependent on the male hormone testosterone and is very common in men as they age. We generally don’t have any treatments aimed at preventing the condition. However, if caught early, we can reverse the enlargement of the prostate, reducing and even eliminating the symptoms.

Q: What are the symptoms of an enlarged prostate and what treatments are available?
A: The symptoms of an enlarged prostate can include a slowing of the urinary stream, frequent voiding, incomplete bladder emptying, and frequent waking to urinate at night. There is a range of treatment available that can accommodate patients’ needs and preferences. Medications can help slow and even reverse the progression of an enlarged prostate. Simple procedures utilizing microwaves and varied outpatient surgery options can also reduce the symptoms of an enlarged prostate.

Q: Is treatment necessary?
A: Without treatment, men can find themselves at greater risk of severe problems that can no longer be reversed. For example, a patient in his mid-70s who suffered a slow urinary stream and frequent nighttime urination but avoided any treatment was suddenly diagnosed with unrelated appendicitis. Following his appendectomy, he found he could no longer urinate and was in really bad shape. At this point his only treatment option was constant use of catheters to urinate.

Similarly, two patients near the age of 70, once with comparable symptoms, are now in very different categories of prostate health. One patient has been on medication for two years; his prostate is now smaller and he says he is doing great. The other patient opted against any treatment and now has an even larger prostate, more severe symptoms, and greater risk of severe complications.

However, not all patients need to undergo treatment right away. The spectrum of treatment ranges from watchful waiting to medication to office procedures to outpatient surgery. Each patient is different and requires a different approach to treatment.

Q: Are the symptoms of an enlarged prostate similar to prostate cancer? How do I know if I have prostate cancer?
A: When prostate cancer isn’t caught until after symptoms appear, it can often be too late. After the age of 50, men should have a rectal exam and PSA test every year. If your doctor suspects prostate cancer, a biopsy is the only way to know for sure whether cancer is present.

Q: How common is prostate cancer? Is it an aggressive cancer?
A: Prostate cancer is very common and the second highest cause of cancer death in men. There is a wide range of aggressiveness with prostate cancer. Cancer is present in many older men; we may choose to treat the least aggressive cancers with “watchful waiting” as they are unlikely to lead to any problems. With more aggressive cancers, early diagnosis and treatment is very important.

Q: How successful is treatment of prostate cancer?
A: If caught early, prostate cancer can be cured with no recurrence by surgery or radiation. However, once the cancer has spread beyond the prostate, chances of curing the cancer are very small.

Q: Can my diet or other lifestyle choices affect the likelihood that I will be diagnosed with an enlarged prostate or prostate cancer?
A: As with any type of cancer, a healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables and less red meat can help. We have also seen that a diet high in red fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes and strawberries, which are high in lycopene, can be of some benefit.

More importantly, if there is a family history of prostate cancer, it is important to be vigilant with regular visits to your doctor. You may also consider a genetic test to look for the PCA3 gene which is associated with prostate cancer.

Bio:
Douglas Ankrom, MD, is originally from Canada. He went to medical school and completed his residency in Urology at the University of Manitoba. Following his training, Dr. Ankrom practiced in Canada and then in Fargo, North Dakota, which he enjoyed because it was close to his family in Winnipeg. However the winters were tough and the city floods every spring, so now Dr. Ankrom and his family can appreciate the weather in Tuolumne County.

Dr. Ankrom has been in Sonora for almost ten years. His practice is in General Urology, treating all ages from newborns through geriatric patients, both male and female. He has a special interest in helping his male patients manage their symptoms of an enlarged prostate.

Dr. Ankrom and his wife have four children and “a bunch of dogs.” They enjoy skiing together and their ten-year-old daughter races on the Dodge Ridge Ski Team.