King Charles is to attend hospital for treatment of an enlarged prostate, Buckingham Palace has announced.
“In common with thousands of men each year, the king has sought treatment for an enlarged prostate,” the palace said. “His Majesty’s condition is benign and he will attend hospital next week for a corrective procedure. The king’s public engagements will be postponed for a short period of recuperation.”
It is understood that the king was keen to share the details of his diagnosis to encourage other men who may be experiencing symptoms to get checked in line with public health advice.
About one in three men over the age of 50 will have some symptoms of an enlarged prostate, which is a gland that sits just below the bladder.
The news came on the same day it was announced his daughter-in-law, the Princess of Wales, was recovering in hospital after undergoing successful planned abdominal surgery, and would remain in hospital for between 10 and 14 days, cancelling all public engagements until Easter.
It is understood Buckingham Palace made the king’s condition public as he had a series of meetings and events planned at Dumfries House, the property in Scotland that he saved for the nation, on Thursday and Friday, which were being postponed on his doctor’s advice.
With guests including foreign dignitaries and members of the cabinet due to travel, Buckingham Palace felt it necessary to make people aware of the situation.
Benign prostate enlargement (BPE) is not cancer and it is not usually a serious threat to health, according to the NHS website.
The cause of benign prostate enlargement is unknown, but is believed to be linked to hormonal changes as men get older. Symptoms include difficulty starting to urinate, frequently needing to urinate and difficulty fully emptying the bladder.
The balance of hormones in the body changes as people get older and this may cause the prostate gland to grow. Precise details of the procedure the king is to undergo have not been disclosed.
Doctors who see patients with an enlarged prostate will usually make treatment decisions based on how severe their symptoms are. With mild symptoms, treatment is not typically required. Lifestyle changes, such as drinking less alcohol, caffeine and fizzy drinks, limiting intake of artificial sweeteners, and exercising regularly, may be recommended.
With moderate to severe symptoms, medicine to reduce the size of the prostate and relax the bladder may be offered to the patient.
While it is not usually a serious threat to health, BPE can cause problems including difficulty passing urine or emptying the bladder. It can sometimes lead to complications, such as a urinary tract infection, chronic urinary retention or acute urinary retention.
Procedures in hospital, as in the king’s case, are usually recommended only for moderate to severe symptoms that have not responded to medicine. There are several options, including surgery, steam ablation treatments and laser treatments.
