Men: Get Your Prostate Checked!

Prostate cancer is often a silent but deadly killer.

Aside from skin cancer, this is the most common type of cancer in American males. According to statistics from the American Cancer Society 1 in 6 men during their lifetime will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Prostate cancer leads to death in 1 in 35 men diagnosed and is the second leading cause of cancer related deaths. It is extremely important that men take prostate health seriously and get an annual prostate examination.

The prostate is a gland that is found only in males. It is the size of a walnut and is found beneath the bladder. The prostate surrounds the top part of the urethra and is kept in check by testosterone. The prostate gland is responsible for making the majority of the fluid that makes up semen.

Prostate cancer when found early can be cured which is why it is so important to understand prostate health. The tumor that results from prostate cancer is slow growing. For this reason many men do not experience any symptoms until the cancer has reached an advanced stage. Once prostate cancer reaches an advanced stage it grows or spreads to other areas of the body and is likely fatal at this point.

Life expectancy when diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer is about five years. An annual prostate examination can help find cancer at an early stage and provide a greater success of curing this deadly cancer. Prostate cancer mainly affects men that are older but it has been diagnosed in men between the ages of 30 and 40. Any male with a family history of prostate cancer are more likely to develop this disease.

The medical community is also in agreement that diet is a contributor to developing prostate cancer. Diets that contain high levels of fat from sources such as red meat and animal fat have been linked to advanced prostate cancer. A diet that promotes good prostate health is important because it can reduce the dietary risk factors of prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is a silent killer because of the non-existence of warning signs or symptoms of prostate cancer in its early stages. Once the tumor has begun to cause the prostate gland to swell or spread is when a man may experience symptoms.

Many men may feel the need to urinate often and this may especially occur at night. When the need to urinate occurs it may be difficult to start or stop the stream of urine. These are symptoms that men may experience after the cancer has already formed and it cannot be stressed enough the need for proper prostate health and a regular prostate examination.

A prostate examination can be conducted in one of two ways that when combined detect abnormalities from prostate cancer. A digital rectal exam and a blood test to detect PSA are the two prostate health exams that doctors utilize to help diagnose prostate cancer. During the digital rectal exam the physician will feel the prostate gland for lumps or hard areas called nodules. The blood test is designed to detect elevated levels of PSA. Neither test is full proof at diagnosing prostate cancer but they provide important prostate health tools in helping to find and treat prostate cancer.

-The Health Dude-

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