Men's Health

Men's Health and Prostate Cancer
Some of the most common cancers causing death in men are: lung cancer, prostate cancer, bowel cancer, melanoma and testicular cancer. Unfortunately the list doesn’t stop there. There are many other cancers that commonly affect men, have a high mortality rate and which are often preventable through lifestyle choices. These include cancers of the kidney, liver, head and neck, oesophagus and bladder.

Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is a slow growing, malignant cancer that develops in the walnut-sized prostate gland. It is the second most common cause of cancer death for males in America, claiming the lives of around 33,000 men every year.  There are over 2 million men living with the disease.

The chance of developing prostate cancer increases with age and with a family history.

Symptoms

•          Pain or burning when urinating

•          Difficulty in, or increased frequency with urinating

•          Blood in the urine or semen.

 Risk factors

•          Increased risk over the age of 50

•          Increased risk if there is a family history

•          Those of African descent are most likely to be affected of all races 

How to reduce the risk

•          Take responsibility for your health

•          Have regular health and prostate checks at least from age 40

•          Maintain a healthy diet and active lifestyle

•          Focus on early detection!

•          If necessary, get early treatment!

Treatment - What you should know

Unlike with almost all other cancers, a prostate cancer diagnosis does not mean that your best option is immediate treatment. Sometimes, the best option for a patient can be to avoid treatment at all, and merely monitor the disease to track its progression.

It is of vital importance to get checked for the disease, so that you are aware of it and know what you are dealing with, but once diagnosed there are a number of options for treatment.

Recommendations for Selecting Treatment:

1. Don’t rush into immediate treatment!

2. Obtain thorough and proper staging to determine the percent likelihood of the cancers spread to a location in the body distant to the prostate.

3. Educate yourself thoroughly about this disease via sources such as the internet, books, and support groups focused on prostate cancer.

4. Seek advice and treatment from doctors who specialize in treating prostate cancer.

5. If you have questions, contact the Prostate Cancer Foundation

THIS INFORMATION IS INTENDED FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE - PLEASE TALK FURTHER WITH YOUR DOCTOR.