Prostate Cancer Diagnosis & Survival with Patrick Williams – Prostate Cancer UK

Prostate cancer forms in the tissues of the prostate. It is the 3rd most common cancer, the 6th leading cause of death among men and the 2nd leading cause of cancer deaths in the US.

A common indication of advanced prostate cancer is frequent urination or a weaker flow of urine. There are often no early indications of prostate cancer.

Researchers predict 248,530 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2021. It is more common in men that have a family history of prostate cancer. Because it usually grows slowly, patients that are diagnosed with prostate cancer are typically 65 or older. It is rare for men under 50 to develop the disease.

According to Prostate Cancer UK 1 in 8 men in the UK will get prostate cancer. Age, ethnicity and family history are also factors. There are 3 main risk factors for getting prostate cancer, which are things you can’t change. These are:

Getting older – it mainly affects men aged 50 or over

Having a family history of prostate cancer

Being black

Prostate cancer mainly affects men over 50, and your risk increases as you get older. The most common age for men to be diagnosed with prostate cancer is between 65 and 69. If you’re under 50, your risk of being diagnosed with prostate cancer is very low, but it is possible.

If you’re over 50 and you’re worried about your risk of prostate cancer, you might want to ask your doctor about tests for prostate cancer. If you’re over 45 but have a higher risk of prostate cancer – because you have a family history of prostate cancer or you’re a black man – you might want to talk to your doctor.

Family history and genetics. Your family history is information about any health problems that have affected your family. Families have many common factors, such as their genes, environment and lifestyle. Together, these factors can help suggest if you are more likely to get some health conditions.

Inside every cell in our body is a set of instructions called genes. These are passed down (inherited) from our parents. Genes control how the body grows, works and what it looks like. If something goes wrong with one or more genes (known as a gene fault or mutation), it can sometimes cause cancer.

Is prostate cancer hereditary? If people in your family have prostate cancer or breast cancer, it might increase your own risk of getting prostate cancer. This is because you may have inherited the same faulty genes.

My father had prostate cancer. What are my risks? You are two and a half times more likely to get prostate cancer if your father or brother has had it, compared to a man who has no relatives with prostate cancer.

Your chance of getting prostate cancer may be even greater if your father or brother was under 60 when he was diagnosed, or if you have more than one close relative (father or brother) with prostate cancer.

Your risk of getting prostate cancer may also be higher if your mother or sister has had breast cancer.

Although prostate cancer can run in families, having a family history doesn’t mean you will get it. But it’s important to speak to your doctor if you have any relatives with prostate cancer or breast cancer, as your risk of hereditary prostate cancer may be higher.

Do you have a family history of prostate cancer? If you’re over 45 and your father or brother has had prostate cancer, you may want to talk to your doctor. Specialist Nurses can also help you understand your hereditary risk of prostate cancer.

Black men Black men are more likely to get prostate cancer than other men. We don’t know why, but it might be linked to genes. In the UK, about 1 in 4 black men will get prostate cancer in their lifetime.

If you have mixed black ethnicity, you are likely to be at higher risk of prostate cancer than a white man. If you’re a black man and you’re over 45, speak to your doctor about your risk of prostate cancer, even if you don’t have any symptoms. This statistic was worked out using information about men recorded as ‘black African’, ‘black Caribbean’ and ‘black other’.

Can prostate cancer be prevented? No one knows how to prevent prostate cancer, but a healthy lifestyle may be important.

Body Weight. Being overweight may increase your risk of being diagnosed with prostate cancer that’s aggressive or advanced. Eating healthily and keeping active can help you stay a healthy weight.

Can I reduce my risk? A healthy diet and regular exercise are important for health, and might help lower your risk of being diagnosed with advanced or aggressive prostate cancer.

Can a healthy lifestyle reduce my risk of prostate cancer? No one knows how to prevent prostate cancer, but a healthy lifestyle may be important. The latest research suggests that being overweight may increase your risk of being diagnosed with aggressive or advanced prostate cancer. A healthy, balanced diet and keeping physically active can help you stay a healthy weight, and might help to lower your risk.

https://prostatecanceruk.org/

“The more we have these conversations, the more these conversations can be had.” ~ Alison Jaye

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