It can be easy to mistake a prostate cancer symptom for symptoms of less critical conditions like enlarged prostate (BPH) or prostatitis. In most cases, a doctor is the first one to detect signs of cancer, usually during a routine exam. That’s the reason why you should see your doctor if you’re experiencing any of these symptoms:
- Difficulty in urinating or holding urine
- The urge to urinate frequently, particularly at night
- An intermittent or weak urine flow
- Burning or painful urination
- Blood in urine or semen
- Difficulty in achieving erections or painful ejaculations
- Frequent stiffness or pain in the lower back, upper thighs, or hips
There are also a variety of factors that can influence the risk of developing cancer of the prostate, which affects one in six American men and makes it the most common type of non-skin cancer. These risk factors include:
Age. As men age, the risk of developing prostate cancer rises. The odds for men under 40 being diagnosed with prostate cancer are roughly between 1 – 10,000. However, as men approach the 40 – 59 year range, the risk increases to 1 in 38. For men between 60 – 69, the rate jumps sharply to between 1 – 15.
Family genetics. A man with a father or brother that’s been diagnosed with prostate cancer is 2 times more likely to develop it himself. If the prostate cancer was diagnosed in those family members at an early age (say, younger than 55), or if 3 or more family members were affected, the risk jumps greatly.
Race. African-American men have a 60% more likely chance to develop prostate cancer than men of Caucasian origin, with their odds of dying from the cancer being more than twice that of whites. For U.S. men overall, the risk of prostate cancer is 17%. Asian men living in Asian countries have the lowest overall cancer rate (2%), but for those who have moved into Western cultures, their risk has been shown to rise dramatically.
Location. U.S. men living in cities north of 40 degrees latitude (say, north of Columbus or Philadelphia) have the highest risk of dying from cancer of the prostate than men living elsewhere in the country. That tendency is widely attributed to the lower levels of sunlight available during the wintertime, reducing important Vitamin D levels and increasing cancer risks.
Additional risk factors that can cause the exhibition of cancer symptoms and the development of aggressive cancer of the prostate:
- Significant lack of high-fiber vegetables (e.g., broccoli) in the diet
- High calcium consumption
- Lack of exercise due to a sedentary lifestyle
- Excessive height.
Factors and conditions that don’t seem to increase your risks for developing prostate cancer include:
- Obesity, or having a high BMI (body mass index)
- An enlarged prostate (or benign prostate hypertrophy)
- Prostatitis
- Hypersexuality
- Vasectomies
- Prescription and over-the-counter drugs
- Alcohol
Over 200,000 new cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed every year in the U.S., and 32,000 men will die this year from it. Darrin Paulsent delves into the subject to help men distinguish between a true prostate cancer symptom and the more common prostate enlarged symptoms that are easily treatable.
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