Final answer:
Before starting treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia, it's important to rule out prostate cancer due to similar symptoms between the two conditions. Proper diagnosis involves medical history, blood tests, and a rectal exam.
Step-by-step explanation:
Before starting drugs for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), it is essential to ensure that the patient does not have a prostate cancer problem. Both BPH and prostate cancer can present with similar urinary symptoms, but their treatments differ significantly. While BPH is a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland causing constriction of the urethra, which can be managed with medication and surgery, prostate cancer requires a different approach, often involving more complex treatments like radiation or hormone therapy after a diagnosis confirmed by a biopsy. A patient's medical history, symptoms, blood tests, and a rectal exam are crucial for distinguishing between the two conditions. For instance, a patient experiencing urinary pain, confusion, and delirium should be thoroughly evaluated for prostate cancer before BPH treatment is initiated.