“You need to get it checked out,” my Uncle said. Sitting across from him on the sofa my cousin and I shifted our weight nervously, picking up the sudden seriousness of his tone. “Don’t wait, you need to get that thing checked out,” he continued, “I’m telling you!” The conversation continued until the ambiguity was removed and the urgency was clear. The “it” was our prostates and the urgency was immediate.
The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system, located just below the bladder. According to the Mayo Clinic the prostate gland is a small walnut-sized gland that produces seminal fluid, this seminal fluid nourishes and helps transport the sperm.1 Additional information from the Cleveland Clinic indicates that the prostate gland may grow in size after the age of 40, but the increase in size is not necessarily an indication of a problem. “Almost all males will develop some prostate enlargement as they age.”2 Some tissues in the prostate will undergo benign, non-cancerous, growth in old age. “The term for this is benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).”3
But just because it is expected that the prostate will grow or that there will be changes in the bodily function as men age does not mean that men should ignore their prostate health. Why?
Prostate cancer is the second most common type of cancer that affects males. Prostate cancer is an uncontrolled growth of cells that starts in the prostate. According to key statistics from the American Cancer Society, nearly 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. “While about 6 in 10 are diagnosed in men who are 65 and older”, it is not merely a disease for older men. Cases of the cancer have been found in men of younger ages. This is due in part to the fact that prostate cancer rates in men can vary based on social, economic, race/ethnic, and lifestyle factors. For example, “prostate cancer risk is higher in African American men and in Caribbean men of African ancestry than in men of other races4.” To learn more about potential risk factors, see Risk Factors for Prostate Cancer.
Although it is the second most common type of cancer affecting men, one hopeful note is that it is one of the cancers that is usually found early, and most people who are diagnosed with it are cured. Even when a cure is not entirely possible, there are treatments that can slow the growth of the cancer and help those who are diagnosed live longer and with a higher quality of life. The key, according to the Mayo Clinic, is early diagnosis and treatment.
The key to early diagnosis lies in being aware of potential symptoms which can include the following:
- Blood in the urine
- Blood in the semen
- Frequent urination
- Trouble starting when urinating
- Waking up more frequently to urinate at night
- Weakness and fatigue
- Bone pain
- Back pain
- Leakage of urine
- Erectile Dysfunction (ED)
However, looking for symptoms is not enough because an “early-stage prostate cancer doesn’t [always] cause symptoms 5.” In addition to seeing your doctor if you have any symptoms that worry you, men over the age of 40 should schedule annual prostate screenings regardless of the presence of symptoms. Common tests to check your prostate health include rectal exams, protein-specific antigen (PSA) blood tests, and biopsies.2
If you are diagnosed with prostate cancer, understand that treatment options exist. Some of which are:
- Surveillance
- Focal therapy
- Radiation
- Proton Beam Therapy
- Cryotherapy
- Medication,
- Removal of the prostate
Your doctor and oncology team can help you discuss the best option for your particular stage of cancer and how aggressively it has grown.
Men, you can take a proactive approach to your prostate health, regardless of age, race, or other current factors. Suggestions for improving prostate health by the Cleveland Clinic include:
- Eating a healthy diet
- Quitting tobacco products
- Exercising regularly
- Getting regular screenings
- Reducing consumption of sugary beverages
- Limit red meat and highly processed foods
- Increase fruits and vegetables
Additional prevention suggestions can be found on the American Cancer Society’s website on prevention.
So, in the words of my Uncle, “Men, get it checked.”
Sources
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/prostate-cancer/multimedia/prostate-gland/img-20006060#:~:text=The%20prostate%20gland%20sits%20just%20below%20the,urine%20from%20the%20bladder%2C%20called%20the%20urethra.
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/23965-prostate
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279291/#:~:text=It%20is%20part%20of%20the,other%20glands%2C%20makes%20up%20semen.
- https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/prostate-cancer/about/key-statistics.html
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/prostate-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20353087?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=abstract&utm_content=Prostate-cancer&utm_campaign=Knowledge-panel
- https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/prostate-cancer/causes-risks-prevention/prevention.html
Public Health Matters 
Leave a comment