The “Other” Prostate Condition: Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Affects Millions of U.S. Men, Can Severely Impact Quality of Life
Many Men Don’t Realize Their Treatment Options; NeoTract’s UroLift
System Offers Relief in a Minimally Invasive Procedure
PLEASANTON, Calif. & WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Lack of awareness about a common health condition may be causing
millions of men to suffer unnecessarily. Benign prostatic hyperplasia
(BPH), also known as enlarged prostate, affects more than 37 million men
in the United States alone. Unfortunately, many men postpone treatment
for this disorder because of concerns about side effects; however, their
concerns may be alleviated with additional information.
BPH occurs when the prostate gland that surrounds the male urethra
becomes enlarged with advancing age and begins to obstruct the urinary
system. Symptoms include sleepless nights and urinary problems, and can
cause loss of productivity, depression and decreased quality of life.
About one in four men experience BPH-related symptoms by age 55 and, by
age 70, over 80 percent of men suffer from BPH.
“Most patients blame their symptoms on aging. They may not be aware of
the high prevalence of BPH or the available medical or surgical
treatment options. There is a high risk to delaying treatment and so men
should proactively talk with their doctors,” said Jamin Brahmbhatt, MD,
urologist at South Lake Hospital in affiliation with Orlando Health. “It
all has to start with a conversation on prostate health. As physicians
we need to think beyond cancer and better evaluate and treat BPH because
with new minimally invasive procedures the risks are low compared to
medications or other surgeries.”
“BPH can have a significant impact on quality of life for men as well as
their partners, and can place limitations on their activities,” said Ana
Fadich, vice president of Men’s Health Network. “For example, the need
for frequent urination may make travel, sleep and sports activities
difficult. We hope that with greater awareness of symptoms and treatment
options, men will take a more active role in treating BPH, and live life
with greater vitality.”
A recent U.S. survey of more than 1,000 men over the age of 50
demonstrated that concerns about the risk of side effects, such as loss
of sexual function or urinary incontinence, would cause a majority to
postpone or avoid treatment of BPH.
This is unfortunate because, not only is early treatment important to
alleviate symptoms and stop the disorder from worsening, but a new
minimally invasive treatment option is available that does not require
cutting, heating or removal of prostate tissue, and as such does not
result in loss of sexual function or urinary incontinence.
“The survey results mirror other research and anecdotal evidence from
U.S.-based urologists that patients rarely mention their BPH-like
symptoms,” said Dave Amerson, president and CEO of NeoTract, Inc., a
medical device company focused on addressing unmet needs in the field of
urology, and sponsor of the study. “We conducted this survey in order to
further understand the level of awareness among men at highest risk of
developing BPH, and the results support our expectations that
traditional treatments have a negative connotation among most men.”
The survey, which was completed in October 2015, demonstrated that:
-
A majority of men (61 percent) would postpone treatment for BPH
because of the risk of sexual side effects or urinary incontinence
from traditional treatments -
Eighty-four percent of respondents indicated they would be more open
to seeking treatment for BPH if the treatment options available held
less of a risk of impotence or incontinence
-
Nearly half of the men surveyed (44 percent) were not aware that BPH
is more common than prostate cancer. In fact, BPH impacts more than 12
times as many men in the U.S. as prostate cancer -
Concerns over surgical treatments was high among respondents, with 83
percent stating they were interested in a treatment option that could
improve BPH symptoms without cutting, heating or removing prostate
tissue1
Medication is often the first-line therapy for enlarged prostate, but
relief can be inadequate and temporary. Side effects of medication
treatment can include sexual dysfunction, dizziness and headaches,
prompting many patients to quit using the drugs. For these patients, the
classic alternative is surgery that cuts or ablates prostate tissue to
open the blocked urethra. While current surgical options can be very
effective in relieving symptoms, they can also leave patients with
permanent side effects such as urinary incontinence, erectile
dysfunction and retrograde ejaculation (dry orgasm).
About NeoTract
NeoTract, Inc. is dedicated to developing innovative, minimally invasive
and clinically effective devices that address unmet needs in the field
of urology. The company’s initial focus is on improving the standard of
care for patients with BPH using the UroLift System, a minimally
invasive permanent implant system that treats symptoms while preserving
normal sexual function. Learn more at www.UroLift.com
or www.NeoTract.com.
About Men’s Health Network
Men’s
Health Network (MHN) is a national non-profit organization whose
mission is to reach men, boys, and their families where they live, work,
play, and pray with health awareness and disease prevention messages and
tools, screening programs, educational materials, advocacy
opportunities, and patient navigation. Learn more about MHN at www.menshealthnetwork.org
and follow us on Twitter @MensHlthNetwork and
facebook.com/menshealthnetwork.
Contacts
For NeoTract, Inc.:
Nicole Osmer, 650-454-0504
nicole@nicoleosmer.com
or
For
Men’s Health Network:
Ana N. Fadich, 202-543-6461 ext. 106
ana@menshealthnetwork.org
