New steam treatment offers hope for men with an enlarged prostate

A new treatment for enlarged prostates can reduce side effects and has the potential to improve the lives of thousands of men, says an Imperial expert. The treatment, which uses steam, has been shown to shrink prostates by 36 per cent and has fewer side effects than current methods. Professor Hashim Ahmed, Consultant Urological Surgeon at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, outlined the impact of this new procedure at the Imperial College Academic Health Science Centre (AHSC) seminar ( He was joined by Dr Sylvain Ladame, from the Department of Bioengineering, who presented his research on a new blood test to diagnose prostate cancer more effectively. A benign enlarged prostate is common in men over 40 and causes pressure on the bladder and the urethra - a tube which allows urine to pass through. It can result in a frequent need to use the toilet and difficulty in emptying the bladder. In some cases, symptoms can be mild and only lifestyle changes such as cutting down on caffeine are needed. However, in a third of cases it can cause bladder irritation, which can affect quality of life.