Identifying symptoms of prostate cancer can be difficult for men to identify before it is too late. However, there are some warning signs that we want to make every man aware of. Sadly, prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death for men in the United States. This is largely because prostate cancer doesn’t respond favorably to immunotherapy. This is a common therapy used to treat cancer.
That’s why we need to emphasize the importance of creating awareness about identifying symptoms and how to handle them. More men need to take action if they are experiencing certain signs to start identifying symptoms. Doctors are also doing the best they can to try to treat cancer.
Sir Rod Stewart and Prostate Cancer
The famous singer-songwriter, Sir Rod Stewart, has just revealed that he has been successfully treated for prostate cancer. This is very positive for men who need to be treated immediately.
The journey has been long for Sir Stewart, since he was only given the diagnosis in February 2016. Identifying symptoms of prostate cancer is not easy to handle, especially at a young age. Sir Stewart was given a diagnosis early in his life. He spoke at a fundraising event for the Prostate Project and European Tour Foundation charity in Surrey on Saturday 14 September 2019. His main aim is to help thousands of other young and older men struggling with prostate cancer.
Identifying Symptoms Of Prostate Cancer And How It Affects Males
While prostate cancer is most common among men over the age of 50, it does often affect many young men as well. That’s what we need you all to watch out for. Mothers, daughters, sisters, friends, and partners should also take note. Just in case you happen to start identifying symptoms within the men in your life.
What is prostate cancer? Well, according to the Independent, prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer among men in the UK. In addition, it impacts approximately one in eight men during their lifetime. Those statistics are scarily high. This form of cancer first manifests in the prostate, which is a small, walnut-shaped gland in men that produces the seminal fluid that nourishes and transports sperm.
Rod Stewart performs at Ziggo Dome, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 12 May 2019. (Photo by Paul Bergen/Redferns)
More importantly, it is the most common type of cancer found in men. So, don’t assume that you are invincible. According to the Mayo Clinic, prostate cancer usually grows slowly and stays within the prostate gland only during the early stages.
This occurs when the cancer is dormant and may not cause any serious harm. But you need a diligent eye on it because the condition can escalate. Yes, many kinds of prostate cancers grow slowly and don’t require much treatment. However, other types are very aggressive and will spread quickly. This is why you must be aware of how to start identifying symptoms.
It’s a very good thing to be diagnosed with prostate cancer at an early age. This is because it gives men the chance and time to go through the necessary treatment procedures.
Identifying Symptoms May Save You
If you know what to watch out for, you can get your diagnosis immediately and have a better chance of surviving the disease. Sadly, identifying symptoms is not always that easy, and sometimes men don’t experience any symptoms whatsoever during the early stages of prostate cancer.
Usually, there are a few warning signs, you just need to be more aware. The tumor in the prostate tends to grow but doesn’t push against anything, which is why there is typically no pain. However, no pain doesn’t mean you’re healthy, and you can go for many years with the disease without knowing it.
What do you do? The best thing any guy can do is go for regular prostate cancer screenings. Stop procrastinating and be sure to book your next appointment ASAP. All men and families must discuss this topic and make an effort to encourage the men in their lives to go for their screenings. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Identifying Symptoms
When it comes to identifying symptoms of prostate cancer, you need to be very mindful. You must make an effort to contact your doctor immediately if you’re experiencing any of the symptoms that I’ve mentioned below.
Also, note that you are less likely to start identifying symptoms of prostate cancer when the tumor is small. It is only when prostate cancer has grown large enough to put pressure on the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the penis (urethra). That’s why it’s even more important to go for your regular screenings throughout your life.
Identifying Symptoms of Prostate Cancer Might Include:
- Needing to urinate a lot more frequently.
- Always having to rush to the toilet.
- Finding it difficult or painful to urinate.
- Feeling as though your bladder hasn’t fully emptied while going to the toilet.
- Blood in urine or semen.
However, identifying symptoms is a clear warning sign. Just because you’re experiencing some of this doesn’t necessarily mean that you have prostate cancer. You must just be aware. A lot of older men might experience very similar symptoms due to prostate enlargement, which is a non-cancerous condition.
Prostate cancer is also sneaky because it can spread to other areas of the body. It can move to the back, hip, or pelvic floor which can cause quite a lot of pain. Moreover, the spread of the disease might also trigger erectile dysfunction, blood in the urine or semen, and unexplained weight loss.
Bear in mind that identifying symptoms such as urinary problems doesn’t necessarily mean you have cancer. So don’t start panicking! Prostatitis and BPH (Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy, also known as enlargement of the prostate) are benign diseases. But they can cause similar symptoms and are very common.
Perhaps you have noticed that you are struggling to get an erection. Once again, this does not mean that you have prostate cancer. There are many other health factors to consider like diabetes, smoking, cardiovascular disease, or simply getting older. Life happens, and we need to accept the aging process at some point.
Having said that, identifying symptoms should raise a red flag immediately. The warning sign is a sign, and you need to get them checked out by the doctor ASAP.
What Causes Prostate Cancer?
Identifying symptoms is a great start. But what causes prostate cancer is the first place. Well, experts are not 100% certain yet, but they have an idea. Certain lifestyle factors might trigger or increase your risk of developing the condition.
Main Factors Include:
- Being over the age of 50;
- A brother or father who developed prostate cancer before turning 60;
- Being overweight;
- Following an unhealthy diet.
Apparently men who are African or African-Caribbean might also have a greater risk of being diagnosed with the condition. Prostate cancer can affect anyone with a prostate gland. This includes men, transgender, and non-binary people.
Identifying Symptoms of Seek Treatment
If you are diagnosed with the condition, you need to get treatment immediately. However, there are cases where men are diagnosed with prostate cancer and don’t require treatment. It depends on whether your prostate cancer is localized in the prostate gland or has spread to other parts of the body.
The NHS explains that a patient with cancer should be cared for by a team of specialists, called a multidisciplinary team. The team of medical professionals may include oncologists, radiographers, and specialist nurses, among others. The NHS adds that treatment for prostate cancer is undertaken to cure the disease or to help control symptoms so that they do not shorten a patient’s life expectancy.
You get other treatments that might involve a patient undergoing radical prostatectomy. This is an intensive procedure that involves the surgical removal of the prostate gland. Or you may need to receive radiotherapy; hormone therapy; and chemotherapy.
If a person’s prostate cancer is too advanced, then it will be hard to treat. It’s important to identify symptoms as soon as possible. Doing so will ensure that the treatments mentioned might help slow down the process.
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