September Is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and the color blue is the color associated with prostate cancer and the events held during the month. Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer in men of all races,[1] and is the second leading cause of cancer death in men.
The graph above shows a general decrease in number of prostate cancer cases from early 2000, which is a positive sign.
Causes Of Prostate Cancer
Age, weight, and race appear to be contributors to increased prostate cancer risk.
Men over 50 are more inclined to develop prostate cancer, and 80% of men over 80 years old have prostate cancer.
Men who are overweight or obese have an increased risk of prostate cancer, and people of African descent also have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer.
Symptoms Of Prostate Cancer
- Pain in the testes
- Uncontrollable urge to urinate
- Difficulty starting to urinate
- Taking a long time to urinate
- Weak flow of urination
- Straining to urinate
Prostate Cancer Treatment
Prostate cancer doesn’t usually present with symptoms until the tumor is large enough to press against the urethra and cause problems urinating. It is good to have PSA blood tests done yearly if you are over 40, though they are not always reliable.
Treatment is usually not needed until the tumor starts interfering with normal urination or sexual function. A concern with prostate cancer, as with all cancer, is the possibility of the cancer spreading to other areas of the body. Treatment for prostate cancer may include radiation treatments, seed implants, hormone treatment, or surgery.
Tags: anti-cancer, cancer awareness
