What is prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is the
most common cancer in men. It develops when cells in the prostate
gland start to grow in an uncontrolled way. Prostate cancer
accounts for around one fifth of all male cancers. In the UK there
are around 25,000 new cases each year and around 10,000 deaths.
Risk factors
Prostate cancer mainly affects men over the age of 50. Younger
men can be affected but this is rare. The risk of developing
prostate cancer rises with age. Your risk also increases if a close
family member (father or brother) has prostate cancer. In the UK,
African Caribbean men are three times more likely to develop
prostate cancer than white men.
Symptoms
The following symptoms may show that you have a problem with
your prostate.
• A weak or reduced urine flow
• Needing to urinate more often, especially at night
• A feeling that your bladder has not emptied properly
• Difficulty starting to pass urine
• Dribbling urine
• Needing to rush to the toilet – you may occasionally leak
urine before you get there
Less common symptoms include:
• Pain when passing urine
• Pain when ejaculating
• Pain in the testicles
• New pain in the lower back, hips or pelvis
• Problems getting or keeping an erection
• Blood in the urine or semen – but this is rare.
Some men with prostate cancer may have no symptoms at
all.