In most men, the prostate begins to enlarge at about the age of 40. Normally, doctors can detect abnormal growth of this gland by the insertion of a gloved finger into the rectum, where they can feel the size, firmness or softness of the prostate.
However, in the case of an ostomate who has had his rectum removed and the opening closed, this, of course, is not possible. Any male who fits the above category, therefore, needs to be alert for difficulty in urination, bleeding, and have periodic examinations by his doctor.
Examination in my own case included a urinalysis and a blood test for starters, followed by an intravenous pyelogram (IVP) to check the kidneys and ureters by means of a dye and X-rays.
The second procedure was done under anesthesia by a surgeon who used a cystoscope, a long metal instrument with a magnifying lens and a light at its end, which was inserted up the urethra into the area of the bladder and prostate. The cystoscope showed that some nodules had grown on the prostate. An accessory device used in conjunction with the cystoscope was used to remove these nodules, which later proved to be benign. The surgeon had found the source of my bleeding. I was fortunate.