Prostate Cancer
What Is It?
Prostate cancer is now the commonest cancer in men in the UK (not counting non melanoma skin cancer). 31,900 men were diagnosed in 2003. That is 23 out of every 100 cancers diagnosed in men.Prostate cancer is quite rare in men under 50. Nearly 2 out of 3 cases (63%) are in men aged 70 and over. Age is the most significant risk factor of all for prostate cancer. The older you are, the greater the risk.
Generally speaking, if you have a relative diagnosed with prostate cancer you are at double the risk of getting the disease yourself, compared to the average man. If you have a brother with prostate cancer, your risk is higher, at just under 3 times the average risk.
There is a lot of talk about diet and prostate cancer risk. As with many other cancers, we think that a diet high in animal fat (including red and processed meat, and dairy products) and low in fresh fruit and veg may increase your risk. Tomatoes and tomato products in particular may help protect against prostate cancer. The mineral selenium and vitamin E may also help protect against prostate cancer.
We now know that an increased risk of prostate cancer is linked to eating higher levels of dairy products. Obesity also increases prostate cancer. Low fat diet, eating fewer calories, eating tomatoes and strenuous exercise are all good. A lot of milk, dairy products, calcium and polyunsaturated fat in your diet is bad.
Symptoms
The symptoms of both benign and malignant tumours are similar:Having to rush to the toilet to pass urine
Difficulty in passing urine
Passing urine more often than usual, especially at night
Pain on passing urine
Blood in the urine or semen
The last two symptoms - pain and blood - are rare in prostate cancer.