Catching Prostate Cancer Early

Putting a Quick Halt to Prostate Cancer

The deadly nature of prostate cancer shows that more than 220,000 cases of the disease are detected every year, with more than 27,000 expected to die from it in 2015.

Therefore, it makes sense for older men, especially those over the age of 40, to have the right information on how to detect the symptoms and warning signs that will help catch prostate cancer early. Screening for the disease via a PSA exam will also alert your doctor, but simply depending on that isn’t a viable option when it comes to issue of men’s health.

Riskiest Groups

Prostate cancer usually strikes men in their mid-60’s, but there’s no reason to wait that long to get checked out, since too many men in their 50’s have ended up dying from the disease.

The men most at risk of developing it are those that had a father or brother with the disease, as well as those who either smoke and/or eat a high-fat diet. When it comes to demographics, African-American men have more than double the risk as compared to whites.

What to Look For

Improving the prognosis for men’s health issues such as this means knowing what warning signs and symptoms to look for to inform your doctor. While screening can catch this problem, the best strategy is to address it quickly:

• The clearest sign is an enlarged prostate, but detecting that can done by regular self-examination of the testicles.
• Problems with urination is another early sign. This can be frequent urination, especially during resting periods. In some cases, weak or sluggish urination or simply an inability to urinate at all might be the problem. Finally, holding back urine, a burning or painful sensation while urinating or blood in the urine are clear signs of a problem.
• Sexual problems like impotence might be a tipoff, while men having sex should get screened immediately if blood exists within their semen.
• Having hip, spinal or rib pain could be a sign of cancer, while having numbness or weakness in the legs could be another.

Men’s health is no less important than that of women, so before undergoing a PSA screening through your doctor, it makes sense to check for symptoms or warning signs of prostate cancer. Failing to catch it early could be a fatal mistake.