11 September 2023 , 11:26
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Prostate cancer can be fatal, and is among the most common types of the disease to be diagnosed in the UK.
If it is caught early, however, the chances of prostate cancer developing are good.
About 40,000 cases are diagnosed in the UK alone and charity bosses have urged the public to be aware of the tell-tale signs to halt it in its tracks.
Cancer UK said the disease has no symptoms until it puts pressure on the urethra which men pee through.
There are six early signs of a killer cancer where 40,000 men are diagnosed every year (Getty Images/iStockphoto)Some of the most common prostate cancer symptoms include:
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- Needing to urinate more often, especially at night
- Needing to rush to the toilet
- Difficulty in starting to pee
- Weak flow
- Straining and taking a long time while peeing
- Feeling that your bladder hasn’t emptied fully
Prostate cancer seen through a microscope (Getty Images/Visuals Unlimited)The prostate is a small, gland that can be found between the penis and the bladder.
As men get older, their prostate increases in size; known as prostate enlargement.
Prostate cancer has no symptoms until it puts pressure on the urethra which men pee through (Getty Images)If cancer has spread to other parts of the body, it is known as advanced or metastatic prostate cancer, and results in other symptoms, such as:
- back or bone pain that doesn’t go away with rest
- tiredness
- weight loss for no reason
The disease causes are unknown, according to the NHS, but the cancer is still very common,
Men aged 50 or over are more likely to have prostate cancer, and those of African or Caribbean descent are more likely to get it.
Obesity also increases the risk of the disease, research has shown, but exercising regularly lowers the chances of the condition.
A 3D illustration showing a tumour inside a prostate gland which compresses urethra (Getty Images/Science Photo Library RF)Certain foods that contain contain lycopene, meanwhile, could lower the risk of prostate cancer, Cancer Research UK said.
Last month, the Mirror revealed that experts made a major breakthrough in the battle against the silent killer cancer.
Standard tests include a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test and a manual exam. But now scientists at University College London said using simple MRI scans could pick up far more cases early.
In a study, 29 cases were found out of 303 men, with 25 picked up by MRI compared to just four by the PSA test alone.
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Study author Professor Caroline Moore said: “Over half the men with clinically significant cancer would have been reassured that they didn’t by a PSA test alone. That is a sobering thought and reiterates the need to consider a new approach."