Understanding where the prostate is located and what its role is helps better understand symptoms and treatment options.
What is
the prostate?
Its size and volume vary with age, and from one individual to the next. Situated below the bladder and in front of the rectum, the prostate gland surrounds the top part of the urethra (the canal that takes the urine from the bladder to the outside of the body).
All around the urethra, a set of muscle fibers are grouped at the bladder neck* and beneath the prostate, forming the urinary sphincter,* which releases to allow urine to pass and then contracts to ensure urinary continence. Contrary to popular belief, the prostate is not directly involved in erection mechanisms.
By contrast, the prostate is involved in the ejaculation mechanism and secretes part of the seminal fluid which serves as a means of transport and activation of the spermatozoa.
Anatomy of the prostate
Size of the prostate
Prostate size remains stable for about half your life (approximately 40 years). The size of this organ is usually described using common terms such as “small”, “medium” or “large”. Urologists prefer to use volume rather than weight to characterize it, and this volume can be measured by ultrasound. It is chestnut-shaped, and its normal size is approximately 3cm high by 4 cm wide.
What is a normal prostate volume ?
Its average volume is 20cm3, for a weight of about 20 grams. However, these figures vary from one individual to another.
A “small” prostate has a volume ranging between 30 and 40ml and weighs between 20 and 70g. A medium-sized prostate will be between 40 and 80ml and weigh between 20 and 125g, while a large one will have a volume between 40 and 100ml and weigh between 40 and 125g.
Sources: Détection précoce du cancer de la prostate, Actualisation du référentiel de pratiques de l’examen périodique de santé (EPS)
(Early prostate cancer detection, an update of the reference guidelines for periodic health examinations), PDF document, HAS, May 2013
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Prostate diseases
The prostate can be affected by various different disorders:
- Prostatitis, an infection of the prostate
- Prostate adenoma, also called benign prostatic hyperplasia; this is an inflammation of the prostate (abnormal enlargement)
Prostate cancer
All organs in the body are made up of cells that are specialised for different functions. There is a continuous process of regeneration through cell division.
Treatments
The treatment strategy is tailored to each individual case. It depends primarily on the characteristics of the cancer affecting the patient: its location, grade and stage.