March is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month and Home Instead Would Like to share with you some information on an illness that kills around 11000 men every year in the UK, Home Instead are no strangers to the illness as they provide Home Care to People in Kings Lynn, Spalding, Downham Market and the surrounding areas.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK - it accounts for nearly a quarter (24%) of all new male cancer diagnoses. Although there has been a huge rise in prostate cancer incidence over the last 20 years, this has not been reflected in mortality rates.
Much of the increase in incidence can be attributed to the incidental discovery of prostate cancers following transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) and, more recently, the use of prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing. In 2008, there were 37,051 new cases of prostate cancer diagnosed in the UK, that is around 101 men every day or one man every 15 minutes.
1-4 It has been estimated that the lifetime risk of being diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2008 is 1 in 9 for men in the UK.This was done using the Current probability method
Prevalence data relate to those people in the UK population who were alive on a specific date having previously been diagnosed with cancer.
As the incidence of prostate cancer is high and five-year survival rates are around 70%, many men are alive who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer. There is an increase in prostate cancer prevalence which may be partially influenced by the introduction of TURP and PSA testing, consequently leading to the detection of a greater proportion of latent, earlier, slow growing tumours.
Symptoms
Not everyone experiences symptoms of prostate cancer. Many times, signs of prostate cancer are first detected by a doctor during a routine check-up.
Some men, however, will experience changes in urinary or sexual function that might indicate the presence of prostate cancer. These symptoms include:
A need to urinate frequently, especially at night
Difficulty starting urination or holding back urine
Weak or interrupted flow of urine
Painful or burning urination
Difficulty in having an erection
Painful ejaculation
Blood in urine or semen
Frequent pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips, or upper thighs
You should consult with your doctor if you experience any of the symptoms above.
For more Information visit: http://www.pcf.org