I always dreaded the thought of my GP performing a digital examination and it was the no.1 reason I never went. These days technology has saved the day with detection of many diseases through blood testing (thanks gawd) I can now say I go yearly. The Alfred Hospital has put out a Mens Health Booklet titled – Men and the Big C and it’s worth a read. Below is an extract from the booklet and we would like to say Thank You to The Alfred Hospital and Mr Peter Royce, Director, Urology for there great work on Mens health.
Many cancers are caused by a combination of ageing, genetics and other uncontrollable factors. However, there are some that are “man-made”, so to speak.
This means there are some factors that are in your control. You can make a real difference to your own health and help ward off illness by making some simple lifestyle changes. These include quitting smoking, moderating your alcohol intake, improving your diet, getting regular exercise, being sun-smart and making sure you have regular check-ups with your GP.
You can also educate yourself by becoming aware of the symptoms of the various forms of cancer and acting fast. Something that is always worth remembering is, the earlier you detect cancer, the better your chances of fighting it and beating it.
In the Dads Health category we will cover many types of illnesses that you can learn about, how to look out for symptoms, know when to visit a doctor and how to minimise the risk. We also hope that it is a good reminder to visit your GP for regular check ups.
PROSTATE CANCER
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer diagnosed in men. The positive news is that if it’s found early enough, the cure rate is very good. In fact, two-thirds of men will not die from this cancer as it will not progress sufficiently enough within their lifetime to cause harm.
In Victoria, about 4,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year. The majority of these men are over 60 years of age.
The prostate is a small walnut-sized gland found only in men. It sits just below the bladder. Many men can live with prostate cancer without any symptoms or effects. In statistical terms, there is a 10 per cent chance of being diagnosed with prostate cancer by 75 years and a 1 per cent chance of dying from it by 75 years.
Having a family history of this disease puts you at increased risk. Interestingly, those of Asian descent have a much lower risk of prostate cancer.
Symptoms
Often there are no symptoms of prostate cancer. Some men report frequent urination at night while others experience difficulties starting and stopping urination. Symptoms can also include pain when passing urine, blood in the urine or semen and a feeling that the bladder can’t be fully emptied. Experiencing these symptoms does not necessarily mean you have prostate cancer – it could point to an enlarged prostate rather than cancer – but should always be investigated nonetheless.
How is it diagnosed?
There are tests that may detect prostate cancer early such as a digital rectal examination and a blood test for Prostate Specifi c Antigen (PSA).
What can I do?
• Keep your weight down and reduce your intake of saturated fats.
• Include at least five serves of vegetables in your diet each day. Research shows that antioxidants in vegetables can lower your risk of prostate cancer (especially cooked tomatoes and broccoli) as well as reducing incidence of colon cancer and heart disease. It is also thought that soy milk and tomatoes (particularly cooked with the skin on) may help prevent prostate cancer.
• Men aged over 40, with or without a family history of prostate cancer, should consider a annual prostate check.
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