chapter five
Prostate Cancer Notably the most common cancer in the UK, there are more than 47,000 men who are diagnosed with this condition on an annual basis. Although 11,000 men out of the 47,000 will die from prostate cancer each year, early diagnosis shows that survival chances are good. In fact, 90 % of men who have received an early diagnosis will live between 5 and 10 more years on average. Unfortunately, some men will experience little to no symptoms when it comes to prostate cancer and this can delay diagnosis.
Symptoms
• Increased difficulty during urination
• Increased urination at night
• Difficulty commencing urination
• Straining to urinate
• Urinating for an increased time frame
• Pain during urination
• Pain during sex
As you can see, many symptoms overlap and so it is always important to get tested. Of course, experiencing these symptoms does not automatically equate to cancer and may be connected to other prostate conditions. Many men who are 70 years or over will often have prostate cancer. However, this is a slow-growing cancer and may never be diagnosed. Sometimes, cancer cells will grow quickly and move outside of the prostate, affecting other parts of the body including the bones.
Risks The risk of prostate cancer increases with age. Most men who have been diagnosed with this condition are 50 years of age or over. Where there is a history of prostate cancer in the family, such as a father or a brother, the risk is increased by 2.5 or 4.3 times as much if the relative received the diagnosis prior to the age of 60.
Black men also have an increased risk and are 3 times more likely to develop prostate cancer than a Caucasian male. This is believed to be associated with genetics, but research continues.
20