An overview of prostate cancer and who is at risk

If you are a seemingly fit and healthy male in the prime of life, perhaps prostate cancer may not be something you consider too much. However, as we approach Prostate Cancer Awareness Month (starting tomorrow) men should be aware that it is actually the most common kind of male cancer.

Just in the UK alone, there are an estimated 36,000 – 40,000 new cases of the disease diagnosed each year and it is responsible for a quarter of all newly diagnosed cases of cancer in men. Of these new cases, unfortunately just under a third will tragically succumb to the cancer because it has not been identified and treated at an early enough stage.

The fact remains that approximately 9 out of 10 adults are unaware what the prostate gland does, so clearly it is a subject that men need to clue themselves up on and be able to spot the early signs and symptoms before it develops.

Prostate Cancer UK (formerly known as The Prostate Cancer Charity) are spearheading Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, aiming to reach out to men and spread the word about prostate cancer and even provide a contact number  – 0800 074 8383 – whereby any male with concerns can ring them and speak to a specialist nurse.

So what is the prostate gland? Well, it is located at the base of your bladder and is only around the size of a walnut. Before using its muscles to expel semen during ejaculation, it produces the liquid part of semen and also creates prostate-specific antigen (PSA) – a protein that turns your semen into a liquid.

Most cases of prostate cancer are relatively slow in growth however some can spread to other areas in the body, particularly the bones and lymph nodes – small bean-shaped glands located throughout the body that help it to identify and fight germs, infections, and other foreign substances.

Symptoms of the cancer are not usually apparent until the disease has become big enough to cause pressure on the urethra and initial symptoms may be similar to non-cancerous conditions such as an enlarged prostate or benign prostatic hyperplasia. They include: having to urinate more frequently, difficulty beginning to urinate, a feeling that your bladder has not been fully emptied and a weak flow of urine.

Signs that the cancer has spread around the body include bone and back pain, a loss in appetite, pain or discomfort in the testicles and sudden weight loss. If you are suffering with any symptoms similar to these you should visit your own GP as soon as possible for a check-up. The earlier prostate cancer is spotted – the better chance of treatment being effective and a full recovery can be made.

It is still not fully established the specific reasons for what causes prostate cancer, although there are a number of known risk factors which include:

. Age – For most cases of prostate cancer, it is usually in men over the age of 50.
. Ethnic group – The cancer is more prominent in men of African-Caribbean and African descent and rare among men of Asian and South and Central American descent.
. Family history – If you have a father, uncle or brother who has had prostate cancer, there is a risk you may develop it as well.
. Obesity – If you are obese (a Body Mass Index of between 30 and 40) this has been shown to increase your chances of developing prostate cancer.
. Exercise – Men who regularly exercise can cut their chances of developing prostate cancer according to research.
. Diet – Many health experts claim that a high-calcium diet can raise the risk of developing prostate cancer.

Daily fizzy drink intake linked to aggressive prostate cancer

As if there weren’t enough reasons to give-up sugary fizzy drinks, a new Swedish study has perhaps added another persuader to this. In addition to helping to rot teeth and adding extra inches to your waistline due to the massive sugar content, there have been studies to emerge this year that have found that fizzy drinks can have even more detrimental effects to health. For instance, in February it was revealed in an Australian study that soft drinks could result in an increased danger of developing asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).


Then in June, high levels of the dangerous colouring agent 4-methylimidazole (4-MI)  were found in cans of Coca-Cola in numerous countries around the world, a chemical shown in tests to be connected to cancer within some animals. Past research has also linked brittle bones, heart attacks, diabetes, pancreatic cancer, muscle weakness and even paralysis as possible dangers from the long-term heavy consumption of such drinks.

The new study, conducted by scientists at Lund University in Sweden, has found evidence that shows men who consume just one solitary 300ml soft drink each day  - less than a standard 330ml can – could be at a 40% higher risk at developing serious forms of prostate cancer; the most prevalent type of cancer in UK males. This is in comparison to men who refrain from drinking soft drinks.
Prostate cancer develops in the prostate – a gland in the male reproductive system. In the UK alone there are an estimated 36,000 to 40,000 men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer and there are about 250,000 men currently living with the disease. It tragically claims the lives of over 10,000 men in the UK every year.

The Swedish study involved tracking 8,000 healthy men who were aged between 45 to 73 years of age for an average of around 15 years.  All the men were in perfect health at the beginning of the study and were continually quizzed about their dietary preferences, including soft drink intake.
At the close of the study, the researchers compared the diets of the men who had been diagnosed with prostate cancer against that of the healthy men, and subsequently established a link between intake of sugary drinks and the potentially fatal disease.

Isabel Drake, Lund University researcher, commented on the study findings and said: “Among the men who drank a lot of soft drinks we saw an increased risk of prostate cancer of around 40 per cent.”
Their investigation also established some link between a less severe type of prostate cancer and large amounts of rice and pasta, cakes and biscuits, and sugary breakfast cereals that were in the subject’s diet.

However, before people start to panic and banish these foods from their diet completely, Dr Iain Frame, director of research at Prostate Cancer UK, attempted urged caution in interpreting the study findings and said:  “We cannot be certain whether any particular dietary pattern has a significant impact on a man’s risk of getting prostate cancer but it is highly unlikely that any single food source will lead to an increased chance of developing the disease.” In addition, Drake also stressed that more research would be required to fully prove any definite links between dietary choices and prostate cancer.

Symptoms of prostate cancer include: having to urinate more frequently, difficulty beginning to urinate, a feeling that your bladder has not been fully emptied and a weak flow of urine. If you are suffering with any symptoms similar to these you should visit your own GP as soon as possible for a check-up. The earlier prostate cancer is spotted – the better chance of treatment being effective and a full recovery can be made. If it is not prostate cancer then you may be one of 2.4 million men in the UK suffering from a condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia. Also known as an enlarged prostate gland, it can be treated through the use of effective medication such as Flomax Relief, which eases the symptoms associated with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) of a BPH. Flomax works by relaxing muscles in the prostate gland, relaxing the muscles in the urethra (the tube from the bladder to the outside of the body).  This allows urine to travel more comfortably through the urethra, making it easier to urinate. Flomax is available today from the Medical Specialists Pharmacy chemist shop priced at just £8.75 for 14 capsules, or £15.95 for 28.