King Charles cancer: Where is the prostate? What causes prostate cancer? What is an enlarged prostate?

Prostate problems are common in men over 50, such as King Charles III, who has received treatment in hospital for an enlarged prostate.

King Charles III is facing regular treatment for cancer after his shock diagnosis was uncovered during his recent hospital stay for a procedure on an enlarged prostate.

And while it has been confirmed the monarch does not have prostate cancer, his diagnosis has raised further awareness of the condition.

The King was diagnosed with an enlarged prostate - a benign condition - on January 17 while staying at Birkhall, Aberdeenshire, after going for a check-up because he was experiencing symptoms.

But what is the prostate, and how can it become enlarged?

What is the prostate? What is an enlarged prostate?

The prostate is a small, walnut-sized organ that sits below the bladder and creates fluid for ejaculation in men. Given its location below the bladder and surrounding the urethra, enlargement of the prostate can cause all manner of problems for urination.

Benign prostate enlargement – that is, non cancerous prostate enlargement – is fairly common in men aged 50 and over.

What causes prostate cancer?

As the NHS website states, it is not known exactly what causes prostate cancer, although there are certain things that are known to increase the risk of developing the disease.

The risks include:

- Age - most diagnoses take place among men aged 50 or over, so it appears the older a person is, the higher the risk;

- Ethnicity - prostate cancer is more common in black men than in Asian men, so ethnicity is believed to be a risk factor;

- Obesity - recent studies have shown a link between obesity and prostate cancer, suggesting that people who regularly exercise and eat a balanced diet will lower their risk of getting the disease;

- Family history - if someone has a brother or grandfather who was diagnosed with prostate cancer before the age of 60, there risk is believed to be greater. The same applies for someone who has a close female relative who has developed breast cancer.

What are the symptoms of an enlarged prostate?

The main symptoms of prostate enlargement, according to the NHS, are:

• finding it difficult to start peeing;
• straining to pee;
• having a weak flow of urine;
• ‘stop-start’ peeing;
• needing to pee urgently and/or frequently;
• needing to get up frequently in the night to pee;
• accidentally leaking urine (urinary incontinence).

The NHS states: “Leaking urine can happen when you feel a sudden need to pee and cannot stop some pee leaking out before you get to a toilet. This is called urge incontinence.

“Leaking urine can also happen when you strain. For example, when you cough, sneeze or lift a heavy object. This is called stress incontinence.

“The most common form of leaking is when a small amount of urine dribbles into your underwear after peeing.”

What do I do if I have symptoms?

Diagnosis begins with your local GP, who will ask about your symptoms and concerns, and their impact on your quality of life.

This will usually involve a physical examination, including feeling the prostate through the walls of your rectum, and blood tests, to check kidney function.

Blood tests will also check for prostate-specific antigen (PSA), while urine tests will check for sugar or blood which may indicate diabetes or infection.

Does an enlarged prostate mean I may have cancer?

A common worry for men is their prostate symptoms could be a sign of cancer.

According to the NHS: “Many men worry that having an enlarged prostate means they have an increased risk of developing prostate cancer. This is not the case.

“The risk of prostate cancer is no greater for men with an enlarged prostate than it is for men without an enlarged prostate.”

Management of an enlarged prostate can be accomplished with treatment, including making lifestyle changes, medicines, and surgery.

A statement from Prostate Cancer UK says: “Having an enlarged prostate affects everyone in different ways. Some men can manage mild symptoms and don’t need treatment. Others find they need to stay near a toilet.

“This can make it difficult to work, drive, be outdoors and attend social events. If you need the toilet a lot during the night, this can affect your sleep and make you feel more tired during the day.

“Some men find their symptoms improve over time without treatment. But for most, the symptoms will stay the same or slowly start to cause more problems over time unless they have treatment.”