Just as the breast cancer alert has become a sort of mantra
for women all over the world, so should the call for the awareness of prostate
cancer – a disease that’s often overlooked but affects thousands of over 50s
every year.
The prostate gland:
According to a recent campaign against prostate cancer, it is a gland
located at the base of the bladder. It
produces the fluid that makes up semen.
The tube that carries urine from the bladder passes through the gland.
What can go wrong?:
The prostate gland can become inflamed or infected. It’s quite usual for it to grow as a man gets
older and this can cause symptoms. But
many of these symptoms can be caused by cancer too and it’s important that this
more sinister cause of problems is identified and treated early.
The symptoms:
Because the tube carrying urine from the bladder passes through the
prostate gland, urine flow is often affected by the gland getting bigger. Symptoms to watch out for are needing to
urinate frequently, particularly at night, a poor urine stream and difficulty
starting to pee.
Often the bladder doesn’t empty properly, so when you think
you’ve finished, a small amount of urine still comes out. Less often, men will get pain ejaculating or
pain passing urine.
Diagnosis: Many of
the symptoms can be caused by a harmless enlargement of the prostate, but if
you see your doctor, they will be able to examine you and do a blood test that
will help see if your problems are due to cancer. They may also suggest an ultrasound scan of
the prostate gland.
Can it be treated?:
Prostate cancer can be treated and there are many options from watching
and waiting for surgery and chemotherapy.
The sooner cancer is discovered, the more treatment options are
available. So don’t sit on your
problems, visit your doctor if you’re worried.
For more information, go to www,prostate-cancer.org.uk.
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