Prostate cancer: spotting the signs

For years, men have been told to look out for specific symptoms of prostate cancer, such as: frequent or difficult urination, an enlarged prostate. However, a recent study by Cambridge University has found that there is no causal link between these symptoms and prostate cancer, with some research suggesting that the prostate may even be smaller when cancer is present.

Like many cancers, prostate cancer can be ‘silent’, especially in its early stages. Without these previously understood symptoms to alert men of the possible presence of an issue, cases can be missed.

Despite prostate cancer being the most common type of cancer in men, up until now, there has been no screening programme for prostate cancer in the UK. This is because testing using the prostate specific antigen (PSA) is often unreliable. In fact, PSA results for 1 in 7 people with prostate cancer come back as normal, meaning these results are false negative.

However, a scheme is now being trialed in the South of England and, if successful at detecting the disease, may be rolled out across the nation.

All men in the scheme’s catchment area aged 50-70 are eligible, with priority given to those of Afro-Caribbean background who are at an increased risk of developing prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is curable if caught at an early stage. If you suspect that you may be suffering from prostate cancer, or would like to test for peace of mind, get in touch with your GP.