This Movember, we’re taking a look at some of the common themes affecting men’s health. Prostate cancer is one of the UK’s most common cancers, and one that is not talked about enough.
What is Prostate cancer?
The prostate is found underneath your bladder and its main job is to produce semen. Prostate cancer
can develop when cells in the prostate gland start to grow in an uncontrolled way.
Most men with early prostate cancer often don’t show any signs or symptoms. You’ll usually only get early symptoms if the cancer grows near the urethra (the tube you urinate through).
If you notice changes in the way you urinate, this is more likely to be a sign of a very common non-cancerous problem called an enlarged prostate, or another health problem. But it’s still a good idea to get it checked out.
Signs and symptoms
As well as difficulty when urinating, if prostate cancer spreads to other parts of the body, common symptoms are:
- Back, hip or pelvis pain
- Problems getting or keeping an erection
- Blood in the urine or semen
- Unexplained weight loss
Who does it affect?
Prostate cancer affects 1 in 8 men. You are at higher risk if you’re over 50, or if you’re black, or if someone in your family has been diagnosed with it.
There is a handy risk checker on the Prostate cancer website. You can answer three quick questions to check your risk, here.
There are also lot of myths around prostate cancer, some which may be preventing people from seeking diagnoses. We want to bust these myths and stamp out the fear behind them, check out the link to learn fact from fiction.
Prostate cancer is not always life-threatening. But when it is, the earlier you catch it the more likely it is to be cured.
