Can I still get prostate cancer after prostate removal?

Mr. Xia had a prostatectomy in the hospital a few years ago, but during a recent physical examination at his workplace, he was found to have prostate cancer. He found it very strange that since his prostate had been removed and he could urinate smoothly, why did he still have prostate cancer? Many patients have the same confusion and puzzlement.

In fact, the main reason is that people don't know much about these two diseases. Prostate hypertrophy and prostate cancer are both common diseases in middle-aged and elderly men. The symptoms of both may be frequent urination, thin urine stream, and difficulty urinating. There is no specificity in the symptoms, and both occur in the prostate. The prostate is divided into three areas in anatomy. These two diseases occur in different areas of the prostate. Prostate hypertrophy mostly occurs in the transitional area, while prostate cancer mostly occurs in the peripheral area of ​​the prostate. Prostate cancer rarely occurs in the transitional area.

The causes and treatment measures of the two diseases are different. When performing surgery for prostate hypertrophy, whether it is open surgery or transurethral prostate surgery, the proliferating glands located in the transitional zone are removed, while the glands under the peripheral capsule are not moved. Because the peripheral area is still preserved, there is a possibility of prostate cancer after surgery. Therefore, patients with prostate hypertrophy cannot ignore the hidden dangers of prostate cancer.

In order to prevent the occurrence of cancer, the possibility of prostate cancer must be ruled out before undergoing surgery for prostate hypertrophy. After the surgery, one cannot assume that everything is fine as urination becomes smooth. One must still go to the hospital regularly for necessary examinations, such as transrectal prostate examination, serum prostate antigen (PSA) test, etc., in order to detect and diagnose prostate cancer early.