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This series of articles is not intended to be a substitution for your doctor’s advice, so make sure that you seek a professional opinion if you feel that you may have prostate cancer.
Did you know that September is Prostate Cancer Month?
Some sobering statistics
Take a look at these rather sobering statistics:
Prostate cancer affects an estimated one out of every eight American men.
Recent statistics for 2022 from the American Cancer Society show that:
- about 268,490 new cases are diagnosed, and
- there are about 34,500 deaths to date from prostate cancer.
Men most at risk are usually older men.
What is probably more startling as well as troubling is that this tends to affect Black men. No one seems to know why.
The global death rate in 2020, according to the World Cancer Research Fund International, was 375,304. The top ten countries were African and Caribbean.
It helps to know
It is, therefore, understandable that you would want to know at least something about prostate cancer, especially as you are approaching your 40s.
Or if you are already at least 50 years old.
This article is going to touch on some of the key symptoms of prostate cancer and available treatments.
You might not be showing any symptoms
One thing that is important to note is that you may not suffer any symptoms at all. This does not mean that you do not have the disease.
That is why it is very important to be checked for prostate cancer early and frequently, and even more so as you get older…
…because your healthcare professional can find the prostate cancer before any further symptoms show up – if at all – in most cases.
Symptoms of prostate cancer
Some men that have prostate cancer may experience some or all of the following symptoms:
- frequent or difficult urination,
- a weak, slow urine flow,
- frequent trips to the bathroom (especially at night),
- erectile dysfunction,
- painful ejaculation, and
- blood in the urine or semen
Note that this is not an exhaustive list, and that these symptoms might be indicative of something else that might be going on with your prostate.
Get yourself checked.
Different treatment options
You might find it helpful to discuss these questions with your doctor or healthcare provider before you decide on screening and possible treatment options.
There are many different treatment options for prostate cancer and you will want to discuss these with your doctor or healthcare professional before you many any decisions.
Several available treatment options include:
- active surveillance,
- radiation therapy,
- hormone therapy,
- chemotherapy, or
- surgery.
There are also other choices and, as I said before, you are strongly advised to discuss these with your doctor.
What you could do right now
One of the best things that you can do for your prostate is to make sure you take care of it in the first place. This may reduce your risk of prostate cancer.
Just knowing some simple things such as
- taking supplements that support prostate function,
- informing and educating yourself about good nutrition and exercise,
…can reduce your risk of prostate cancer.
In the next article, we will look at the three most common problems with the prostate gland.
PS: My paternal grandfather from Jamaica died of prostate cancer. He was 69.
Image by Marijana from Pixabay
Sources:
Key Statistics for Prostate Cancer. Located at American Cancer Society (online),
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/prostate-cancer/about/key-statistics.html [Accessed September 17, 2022]
This site contains affiliate links to products sold by selected self improvement partners. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.