Enlarged prostate media kit

EMBARGOED: 12:01AM AEST, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2024

New research breaking the silence on a serious but treatable prostate condition affecting 1 in 2 Aussie men aged 50+  

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​A common, non-cancerous prostate condition affecting more than 2.8 million Aussie men aged 50+ years,1-3 is seriously compromising their physical, mental and social health and wellbeing, new Australian research reveals.4

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Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or an ’enlarged prostate’, affects 50 to 60 per cent of men aged in their 60s, and a staggering 80 to 90 per cent of those aged 70+ years.5, 6 Yet concerningly, the condition is currently under-diagnosed and under-treated,7 with new research confirming only 16 per cent of Aussie men aged 50+ with symptoms have been formally diagnosed.4

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According to Director of Uro-Oncology, and Head of Robotic Surgery, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, and Urology Department Head, Blacktown Mount Druitt Hospital, Professor Henry Woo, Sydney, Aussie men fail to recognise the commonness, and potential seriousness of the urological condition.4
 

“Living with an enlarged prostate is life-disrupting.

 

“An enlarged prostate compromises the lives of two in three (64 per cent) affected Aussie men.4
A concerning 58 per cent experience an urgent need to pee, while 61 per cent make regular toilet trips at night,”4 said Prof Woo.

 

“This in turn, affects their energy levels, concentration, and productivity, and regularly disturbs their partner’s sleep.8

 

“In fact, sleep disturbance is a daily challenge for the nearly two in five (39 per cent) men battling the condition,” Prof Woo said.

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“Other common lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) associated with an enlarged prostate include poor urine flow, difficulty starting and ending flow, peeing more often than usual, and a feeling of not being able to completely empty the bladder.4, 9-11

 

“For the more than half (53 per cent) of those living with an enlarged prostate, needing to know the location of the closest toilets causes feelings of anxiety, with almost one in five (18 per cent) reporting “feeling anxious” every day4 – symptoms which have also been linked to depression, anxiety, and stress,”12 said Prof Woo.

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“Importantly, men do not need to suffer in silence, because effective treatment options are available.”

 

According to Specialist Urological Surgeon at The Wesley Hospital, Dr Jo Schoeman, Brisbane, while a healthy prostate resembles the size of a walnut, an enlarged prostate can grow to the size of a mandarin, or even a lemon.13

 

“A normal prostate varies in size. Because there is no defined relationship between prostate size and symptom severity,14 even men with a small prostate enlargement may experience significant urinary symptoms.

 

“As the prostate grows, it causes obstruction and can block the bladder, resulting in a need to urinate frequently, and disrupting urine outflow,”15 Dr Schoeman said.

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“Untreated symptoms may also lead to urinary tract infections, kidney stones and kidney damage,10 reinforcing the importance of early, proactive medical advice.

 

“Importantly, an enlarged prostate, and its associated symptoms, are treatable,”16 said Dr Schoeman.

 

“Men living with symptoms of the condition should seek professional advice and explore effective treatment options with their doctor.

 

Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand (USANZ) President, Professor Helen O'Connell AO, Melbourne, said too many Aussie men living with an enlarged prostate are not seeking timely medical care.

 

“An enlarged prostate is a reversible cause of bladder symptoms in ageing men.10, 17

 

“The longer the male has had the problem, and the more severe it is, the less likely it is to be fully reversible,”18,19 Prof O’Connell said.

 

“More than four in five (83 per cent) of men are open to seeking treatment, yet fewer than 40 per cent are really doing so.4

 

“Among those who do choose to seek treatment, one in five (20 per cent) elect to endure symptoms for six months before doing so,”4 said Prof O’Connell.

 

“A man’s enlarged prostate also affects the quality of life of their partner, adversely affecting relationships.”20

 

Online business owner, father-to-five boys, and grandfather-to-three, Barry, 65, Orange, wrestled with progressive symptoms of an enlarged prostate for 25 years – frequent, and incomplete bladder emptying; a weak urine flow; persistent urination throughout the night; and minimal control over his bladder and bowel movements. These symptoms proved particularly “embarrassing and uncomfortable,” and over time, compromised his physical and mental wellbeing and forced him to “retract from life.”

 

“The urgency to pee was my most challenging symptom. When you have an enlarged prostate, especially one that was as large as mine – the size of a softball – and you get a signal, you’ve only got a few seconds to find a toilet.

 

”This leaves you constantly thinking about the location of the nearest toilet, and how quickly you can reach it,” Barry said.  

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“In fact, my prostate was so large, it pressed on nerves and triggered further health issues. It affected my bowel movements and intimate relations with my wife.”

 

According to Barry, a heavy stigma continues to weigh heavily on men’s health.

“Aussie men are proud. The first sign of any men’s health problem is considered a weakness or compromising of our masculinity. So, we tend to suffer in silence.

 

“That’s why nowadays, I ask every man who I come across about their prostate, because most men won’t even discuss it with their partner,” said Barry.

 

“If you’re living with symptoms of an enlarged prostate, visit your GP before they get worse.”

 

To learn more about symptoms, management and treatment of an enlarged prostate, visit your doctor or head to www.fixmyflow.com.au.

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About YouGov market research

Boston Scientific commissioned YouGov to perform an online quantitative survey on benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), involving a nationally representative sample of 1,011 Australian men aged 50+ years between July 4 to 10, 2024.4 The data was weighted by age and region to reflect the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) population estimates of Australian men over 50 years of age.

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Boston Scientific Pty Ltd, PO Box 332 Botany NSW 1455 Australia. Tel +61 2 8063 8100.

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References

1. Profile of Australia's population: Australian Government - Australia Institute of Health and Welfare; 2024 [Available from: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-health/profile-of-australias-population].

2. Population: Australian Bureau of Statistics; 2024 [Available from: https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population#:~:text=The%202021%20Census%20counted%2025%2C422%2C788,age%20of%2039%20years%20old.

3. Management of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Attributed to Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: AUA Guideline: American Urological Association; 2023 [Available from: https://www.auanet.org/guidelines-and-quality/guidelines/benign-prostatic-hyperplasia-(bph)-guideline].

4. Australian market research on benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). YouGov: YouGov; 2024.

5. Awedew AF, Han H, Abbasi B, Abbasi-Kangevari M, Ahmed MB, Almidani O, et al. The global, regional, and national burden of benign prostatic hyperplasia in 204 countries and territories from 2000 to 2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. The Lancet Healthy Longevity. 2022;3(11):e754-e76.

6. Launer BM, McVary KT, Ricke WA, Lloyd GL. The rising worldwide impact of benign prostatic hyperplasia. BJU Int. 2021;127(6):722-8.

7. Speakman M, Kirby R, Doyle S, Ioannou C. Burden of male lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) – focus on the UK. BJU International. 2015;115(4):508-19.

8. Devlin CM, Simms MS, Maitland NJ. Benign prostatic hyperplasia – what do we know? BJU International. 2021;127(4):389-99.

9. Lokeshwar SD, Harper BT, Webb E, Jordan A, Dykes TA, Neal DE, Jr., et al. Epidemiology and treatment modalities for the management of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Transl Androl Urol. 2019;8(5):529-39.

10. Benign prostate hypertrophy: healthdirect;  [Available from: https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/benign-prostate-hypertrophy].

11. Lepor H. Pathophysiology of lower urinary tract symptoms in the aging male population. Rev Urol. 2005;7 Suppl 7(Suppl 7):S3-s11.

12. Park S, Lee KS, Choi M, Lee M. Factors associated with quality of life in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia, 2009-2016. Medicine (Baltimore). 2022;101(36):e30091.

13. Understanding Prostate Changes and Conditions: National Cancer Institute 2024 [Available from: https://www.cancer.gov/types/prostate/understanding-prostate-changes#:~:text=The%20prostate%20is%20part%20of,the%20size%20of%20a%20lemon].

14. Bruskewitz RC. Quality of life and sexual function in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Rev Urol. 2003;5(2):72-80.

15. Foundation UC. Benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) 2023 [Available from: https://www.urologyhealth.org/urology-a-z/b/benign-prostatic-hyperplasia-(bph)].

16. Morton A, Williams M, Perera M, Teloken PE, Donato P, Ranasinghe S, et al. Management of benign prostatic hyperplasia in the 21st century: temporal trends in Australian population-based data. BJU Int. 2020;126 Suppl 1:18-26.

17. Enlarged Prostate (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia): National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease [Available from: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-diseases/prostate-problems/prostate-enlargement-benign-prostatic-hyperplasia].

18. Benign prostate enlargement  [Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/prostate-enlargement/].

19. Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH): John Hopkins Medicine;  [Available from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/benign-prostatic-hyperplasia-bph].

20. Shvartzman P, Borkan JM, Stoliar L, Peleg A, Nakar S, Nir G, et al. Second-hand prostatism: effects of prostatic symptoms on spouses' quality of life, daily routines and family relationships. Fam Pract. 2001;18(6):610-3.