The changing lifestyle is making men vulnerable to several diseases. Prostate cancer is one of the common cancers that affect men, mostly above the age of 60. The symptoms are not easily detectable at the initial stages, and people realise they have the disease only when they turn much older. Since the symptoms are more prominent at an advanced stage when the situation has worsened, doctors urge that men should look for subtle warnings to treat it as early as possible.
Dr SK Pal, who is a urologist at Apollo Spectra Delhi in Nehru Enclave, states some of the facts about prostate cancer. “The prostate is a small walnut-sized gland situated in the pelvic region of a man next to the bladder. Your prostate is known to carry out a lot of important functions like producing the seminal fluid that nourishes and transports your sperm,” he told Hindustan Times.
Many of the prostate cancer cases are not even identified at the early stages since there are no significant symptoms until it has spread to other parts of the body. Dr Pal said “lack of awareness” and “tendency to ignore minor symptoms” are some of the reasons for prostate cancer going unchecked for years.
While prostate cancer grows slowly, it can spread rapidly to other parts of the body. Dr Pal underlined that men, whose male members in the family tree have had this disease, are ten times more vulnerable to be diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Dr Pal also highlighted some of the warning signs that one should not avoid.
Warning signs of Prostate cancer:
If you are having a painful or burning sensation while passing urine or during ejaculation, then you should immediately consult your urologist.
Having to get up from the bed for frequent urination during the night is also a warning sign of prostate cancer. This can also mean an age-related enlargement of the prostate. A simple blood test measuring serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) can differentiate between the two.
If you are losing control in passing or stopping your urine, you need to be alert as it is also a warning sign of prostate cancer.
If you are experiencing blood in urine, you should see a doctor without getting panicked.
Erectile dysfunction, swelling in the pelvic region, leg or feet numbness are some of the other symptoms listed by Dr Pal that shouldn’t be ignored.
Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Coronavirus News here