During TURP, a scope is inserted through the urethra to scrape away part of the interior of the prostate. The success rate for TURP is high, but there are some risks of side effects, such as impotence, retrograde ejaculation or incontinence. New, less invasive procedures, such as microwave energy and lasers are becoming available. Prostate cancer mostly occurs in men over the age of 50. The cause is unknown, though there are certain risk factors, such as heredity and race.
Prostate cancer grows very slowly and most often, early prostate cancer causes no symptoms.
Symptoms of advanced cancer include blood in urine, impotence, weakening of urinary stream or the need to urinate more frequently. The American Cancer Society currently recommends that men 40 and over have an annual DRE and all men 50 years or older have the PSA blood test performed annually. Those in high risk groups should be screened at an earlier age.