Prostate Location and Why It’s Important for Prostate Cancer

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You can’t understand prostate cancer treatments without first understanding where the prostate is and what organs are in the area.

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In this video, we discuss prostate anatomy and the surrounding organs.

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‍Read the full video transcript below:

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This is Dr. Grew with a video on prostate anatomy because you can't understand prostate cancer treatment without first understanding where the prostate is and what it's surrounded by.

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This is a side view of the pelvis. Up here is the lumbar spine, and down here is the sacral spine or the tailbone. Right in front of the sacrum is a tube-like organ called the rectum. This is where stool leaves the body. Just in front of the rectum is the prostate gland. That's why when you have a digital rectal exam, your doctor's able to use their finger to detect nodules or suspicious findings on the gland.

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Sitting right on top of the prostate is the bladder, which fills with urine and then drains it through a tube called the urethra, which dives right through the prostate. Just to the side of the prostate gland is a bundle of nerves that are involved in creating erections. Just below the gland is a bundle of blood vessels that are involved in creating erections.

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Directly above and below the gland, there are muscles that, when they clamp down, prevent the leakage of urine.