When caught early, prostate cancer can be treated successfully.
This month is Movember, a month that highlights men’s health concerns including prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and suicide. Each year, men’s lives are taken by these illnesses and knowing the warning signs can help prevent loss.
Prostate cancer strikes about 260,000 men each year in the US. Approximately 34,500 men die from the disease, which, apart from skin cancer, is the most common type of cancer American men face.
How can you spot the signs of prostate cancer? Check out these four symptoms that can act as early warning signs.
Trouble urinating
According to information found on the cancer society website, most cases of early prostate cancer don’t display any symptoms. Once the cancer becomes more advanced, having trouble peeing can occur. This can include a slow urine stream that’s weak or blood in your urine or semen. Some patients also report needing to urinate more often or suffering from incontinence, particularly at night time.
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Losing weight
As the body uses its energy to fight prostate cancer, some people report the symptom of losing weight without trying. According to the UK’s NHS, losing weight unintentionally can be a sign the cancer may have spread. For many people, losing some weight is a good thing. If you can’t explain your weight loss, however, it could be time to see a doctor.
Bone pain
Your prostate is a small gland in men that’s shaped like a walnut and produces seminal fluid to transport sperm. When prostate cancer is confined to the prostate gland it’s usually treatable and the survival rate is quite high. If the cancer is more aggressive and advances, it can spread throughout the body which makes it more difficult to fight and treat. More advanced prostate cancer can cause pain in your bones if the cancer has spread to them, causing your skeleton to weaken. Prostate cancer most commonly spreads to a patient’s spine.
Erectile dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction can result from many things including natural aging, clogged arteries, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. This can also be a sign of more advanced prostate cancer. Most patients who receive treatment for prostate cancer will experience some erectile dysfunction but regain it over time.
Thousands of men are treated for prostate cancer and go onto live fulfilling lives. The key is early detection. Some experts feel healthy men should be screened for prostate cancer while others find this invasive and unnecessary. Regardless, most medical institutions will recommend men over the age of 50 be screened for the disease. This can include undergoing a digital rectal exam, an antigen blood test, an ultrasound, an MRI, and having a tissue sample take from your prostate.
Men who are Black are encouraged to undergo prostate cancer screening at 45 due to a higher prevalence of this cancer in the Black male population.
If you have concerns, always reach out to talk to your doctor. Abnormal health symptoms can lead to earlier detection, which is key. Resist the urge to brush aside your symptoms without having them investigated.
For more information on prostate cancer and how it’s diagnosed, click here.
photo credits: Krakenimages.com/Shutterstock.com
