The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that is present only in
men. It is located in the pelvis, just below the bladder exit,
and surrounds the tube known as the urethra (through which urine
flows from the bladder to the outside of the body). Tiny
at birth and throughout childhood, the prostate enlarges after
puberty, stimulated by rising levels of the male hormone
testosterone, to a volume of around 20 cc. Despite its
small size compared with other organs, the prostate is a
significant potential source of disease and disability once a
man passes middle age.
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Where the prostate lies in the abdomen
and in relation to the urethra.
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The prostate is subdivided into three zones:
central, transition and peripheral (see the following
diagram). The peripheral zone, coloured blue in the diagram,
is located at the back of the prostate and is the part most
susceptible to both prostate cancer and prostatitis. The
third most common prostate problem - benign prostate hyperplasia
(BPH) - develops in the transition zone, coloured yellow, which
lies in the middle of the gland and surrounds the urethra.
The enlargement of the prostate in BPH causes pressure in the
urethra which can lead to problems with urinary flow and
difficulty in emptying the bladder.
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The three zones of the prostate and
the position of the seminal vesicles.
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