In a recent study, researchers find that a minimally invasive treatment can benefit men with enlarged prostates for at least three years.
The treatment can reduce urinary tract symptoms in patients.
Enlarged prostate, also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), is one of the most common prostate problems in men older than 50.
According to the National Institutes of Health, in the U.S. there are as many as 14 million men have symptoms of BPH.
It is estimated that the condition can affect 50% of men between 51 and 60 years of age and up to 90% of men older than 80.
The current study is the largest of its kind to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of prostate artery embolization (PAE).
During PAE, an interventional radiologist makes a tiny incision in either the groin or wrist to insert a catheter (a small tube about the size of a strand of spaghetti) into an artery and.
The doctor uses image guidance to direct the catheter to the blood vessels on both sides of the enlarged prostate gland.
Once there, the doctor uses microscopic beads to block the blood flow to specific areas of the prostate, depriving those cells of oxygen, which results in the gland’s shrinkage.
In the study, 1,000 men who averaged 67 years of age took part in. All patients were evaluated in the short term (one, three, and six months). 807 patients were seen through the medium term (every six months between six months and three years), and 406 patients were evaluated long term (every year after three years).
During each evaluation, the men’s symptoms were measured, and the researchers also measured the size of the prostate and the amount of urine left in the bladder after urination.
They also evaluated the peak urinary flow rate and the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, a test used to screen for prostate cancer.
The research was conducted between March 2007 and March 2016.
The team found that PAE is very effective in men with BPH who also have acute urinary retention or the inability to voluntarily urinate.
The treatment is also effective for people with very large prostates who are normally treated with open surgery.
The finding shows that at the short-term the treatment had an 89% success rate.
In the 807 men evaluated at the medium-term mark, there was an 82% success rate.
And among the 406 patients measured at the long-term mark, 78% were considered successes.
The team also performed PAE in 210 patients who had limited treatment options due to extreme enlargement of the prostate (larger than 100 cm³).
In these men, 84% experienced success at short-term evaluation and 76.2% at medium- and long-term. The normal size of a prostate is 15 cm3 to 30 cm3.
The researchers noted that PAE was highly successful, but the treatment may not be appropriate for all patients.
Men should speak with their healthcare team to discuss treatment options.
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