Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK and because it develops slowly there may be no signs you have it in the early stages.
Symptoms often become apparent when your prostate is large enough to affect the tube that carries urine form the bladder to the penis – the urethra.
Many men could confuse an enlarged prostate with one of the symptoms of prostate cancer. (/life-style/health/920784/cancer-symptoms-signs-prostate-diagnosis-enlarged-treatment)
It’s not known exactly what causes prostate cancer, according to the NHS, but a number of things can increase your risk of developing the condition.
These include:
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Age – risk rises as you get older and most cases are diagnosed in men over 50 years of age.
Ethnic group – prostate cancer is more common among men of African-Caribbean and African descent than in men of Asian descent.
Family history – having a brother or father who developed prostate cancer under the age of 60 seems to increase the risk of you developing it. Research also shows that having a close female relative who developed breast cancer may also increase your risk of developing prostate cancer.
Obesity – recent research suggests that there may be a link between obesity and prostate cancer.
Exercise – men who regularly exercise have also been found to be at lower risk of developing prostate cancer.
Diet – research is ongoing into the links between diet and prostate cancer. There is evidence that a diet high in calcium is linked to an increased risk of developing prostate cancer.
The health body adds: “In addition, some research has shown that prostate cancer rates appear to be lower in men who eat foods containing certain nutrients including lycopene, found in cooked tomatoes and other red fruit, and selenium, found in brazil nuts.
“However, more research is needed.”
National treasure Stephen Fry revealed on Friday he has been battling prostate cancer.
He revealed the shock revelation in a 12 minute video uploaded to Twitter, where he also said he underwent an operation in January.
So what are the symptoms of prostate cancer?
The NHS lists the following:
Needing to urinate more frequently, often during the night
Needing to rush to the toilet
Difficulty in starting to pee (hesitancy)
Straining or taking a long time while urinating
Weak flow
Feeling that your bladder has not emptied fully
Do you have to have a rectal exam to check for prostate cancer?