In order to protect your sexual health – and overall wellbeing – against prostate cancer, you need to be well-informed. By knowing your enemy, so to speak, you can get proactive with your treatment in the best way for you as an individual, or even guard your wellness against prostate cancer in the first place. So what exactly is prostate cancer, and what can you do to prevent it?
Prostate cancer is a tumour that grows in your prostate gland, which is the part of your reproductive system that stores seminal fluid (the substance that mixes with sperm to form semen). Sometimes, prostate cancer can grow slowly over a period of many years, while at others it may grow rapidly and spread swiftly to other parts of the body. Prostate cancer has been known to spread its cells throughout your lymph system or bloodstream and along nerve pathways. In some cases, men with prostate cancer experience no symptoms, which is why it is so important to have your prostate checked by a doctor on a regular basis.
Sometimes, however, prostate cancer does exhibit certain signs and symptoms. These include:
- Blood in your urine or semen
- Dribbling when urinating
- Erectile dysfunction
- Frequent urination, especially at night
- Painful urination and/or ejaculation
- A smaller stream of urine
- An urgent need to urinate
- Painful bony sites (if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body)
- Occasional nerve paralysis or loss of bladder function
Unfortunately, the cause of prostate cancer remains unknown, although it is thought that your hormones – such as testosterone – may contribute to the disease as they control the growth of your prostate gland. Viruses or chronic infections may contribute to prostate cancer, and there’s also a link between the disease and common cancer-causing substances in the environment. Plus, researchers have recently identified a gene that is linked to some cases of prostate cancer. While the exact cause of prostate cancer remains unclear, scientists have identified five key risk factors:
1. Advanced age: Prostate cancer is seen mostly in men over the age of 55.
2. Diet: While a high-fat diet may increase your risk of prostate cancer, fruits, vegetables, and fatty fish may lower your risk.
3. Ethnicity: Prostate cancer is less common in American Indian and Asian men, occurring most often in African and northern European ethnic groups.
4. Family history: If your father or brother has had prostate cancer, your risk for the disease is heightened.
5. Other risk factors: Men who have had a vasectomy, who smoke, or who have been exposed to a metal called cadmium may also be at an increased risk of prostate cancer.
So that’s prostate cancer, but what can be done to prevent the disease? While prostate cancer cannot be completely prevented, prostate screening with exams and blood tests helps with early diagnosis. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), a digital rectal exam should also be offered every year to men 50 years of age or older who have a life expectancy of at least 10 years. The ACS also recommends that a prostate-specific antigen test (a PSA blood test) be offered every year to these men. However, if you have one of the above noted risk factors for prostate cancer – such as a high-risk ethnic origin or family history of the disease – you should start getting screened for prostate cancer at the age of 45. Finally, make sure you make good dietary choices, as this lowers your risk for the disease. Your diet should be low in fat, while packed with fruits, vegetables, and fatty fish.