How To Recognize A Prostate Cancer Symptom
A prostate cancer symptom can mimic symptoms of the more benign medical conditions such as enlarged prostate (BPH) or prostatitis. Frequently, a doc...
A prostate cancer symptom can mimic symptoms of the more benign medical conditions such as enlarged prostate (BPH) or prostatitis. Frequently, a doctor first detects signs of prostate cancer during a routine examination. That’s why you should visit your doctor if you are experiencing any of the symptoms below:
- Difficulty in retaining or passing urine
- The urge to urinate frequently, particularly at night
- Urine flow that’s weak or intermittent
- A painful or burning sensation when urinating
- Urine or semen containing blood
- Difficulty in achieving an erection or painful ejaculations
- Frequent stiffness or pain in the lower back, upper thighs, or hips
There are other factors that can affect your risk of developing prostate cancer, which 1 out of 6 American men are afflicted with. This makes it the most common type of non-skin cancer for men. These other risk factor 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 who has had a brother or father diagnosed with prostate cancer is twice as likely to develop it himself. The risk rises further if it was diagnosed in family members at an early age (younger than 55 years old) or if 3 or more family members were affected.
Race. African-American men are 60% more likely to develop prostate cancer than Caucasian men, with their odds of dying from the disease more than twice that of whites. For all men in the U.S., the prostate cancer risk is about 17%. The cancer rates for Asian men living in rural Asia are the lowest (about 2%), but when they move to the Western culture, their risk goes up dramatically.
Location. In the U.S, men living in cities north of 40 degrees latitude (around Philadelphia, PA or Columbus, OH) experience the highest risk of death from prostate cancer than for men living anywhere else. It’s commonly believed that the lower levels of sunlight in the northern regions reduces Vitamin D levels critical to good health.
Additional risk factors that can cause the exhibition of prostate cancer symptoms and the development of aggressive prostate cancer:
- Significant lack of high-fiber vegetables (e.g., broccoli) in the diet
- High calcium consumption
- Lack of exercise
- Excessive height.
Factors and conditions that apparently don’t increase the risk of developing prostate cancer include:
- Obesity, or a high body mass index (BMI)
- Enlarged prostate (or BPH)
- Prostatitis
- An overly-active sex life
- Vasectomies
- Medications
- Alcohol
When author Chuck Viccente discovered his first potential prostate cancer symptom, it scared him so much that he began reading scientific literature and writing articles on prostate enlarged symptoms, prostatitis, BPH, and other important male health issues. Here he gladly shares some of what he has learned.
