Prostate Cancer

What is it?

The prostrate is a small, men's-only gland. It surrounds the first part of the tube which carries urine from the bladder to the penis. It produces the thick white fluid which mixes with the sperm and which we all know as semen.

What are the effects?

Prostate cancer can take years to develop, but can spread to the bones.

What age group is most affected?

Prostate cancer is not common in men under 40, but it becomes increasingly common in later ages. It is one of the most common causes of death from cancer in men over 75.

Who is it most likely to hit?

Running in the family Prostate cancer seems to run in some families. Having a father or a brother with prostate cancer doubles a man's risk of getting the disease himself. The diet dodgers There is evidence that if you eat lots of fats and too few fresh fruits and vegetables, your chances of developing prostate cancer are higher than normal.

What are the symptoms?

Most cases of early prostate cancer cause no symptoms and are detected only during a medical screening. If you're heading for 50 and haven't been screened, get screened. Especially if any of the following sound familiar:

1. You get stage fright in front of the urinal even when there's no-one around, and passing urine is difficult.
2. You find blood in your urine.
3. You find yourself having to run to the toilet as often as your wife, especially at night.
4. Peeing hurts.
5. You have any of these symptoms as well as pains in the lower back, upper thighs or pelvic area. Research shows that diets high in calcium and low in fructose (fruit sugar) increase your chances of prostate cancer. Some fruits and vegetables containing high levels of something called Iycopenes are thought to lower your risk. They are cooked or raw tomatoes, grapefruit and watermelon. The mineral selenium is thought to lower the risk for prostate cancer.

Fitness

Regular physical activity and maintaining a healthy weight is believed to help reduce the risk for prostate cancer.