What do you know about prostate cancer?

 

Prostate cancer develops very slowly, and at the later stages, may cause urinary symptoms similar to BPH and prostatitis, causing challenges in diagnosing and treating it early.

 

Prostate cancer can be fatal, although it usually grows so slowly that men die of other causes first.

 

Men are encouraged to get their prostate checked annually after they reach the age of 40, by going for a digital rectal examination.

 

Prostrate-specific antigen (PSA) screening tests may be helpful when used alongside a digital rectal examination in men who are at higher risk of prostate cancer.

 

Age, race, family history and lifestyle habits are among the risk factors that make a man more prone to developing prostate cancer.

 

Unhealthy habits like lack of exercise and eating lots of fat, meat and refined carbohydrates, are known to lead to obesity, high blood pressure, unhealthy lipid levels and high blood glucose – but now, it has also been found that an unhealthy lifestyle also makes Asian men more predisposed to developing prostate cancer.

 

Prostate conditions and urinary problems are very closely linked to sexual dysfunctions, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular diseases. This relationship will be further discussed in the coming weeks in this column.

 

As you can see, urinary problems are not petty complaints by “old men”, but signs of a legitimate and serious condition that could adversely impact quality of life. It is time we give prostate health the attention it deserves.