It can be easy to mistake a prostate cancer symptom for symptoms of less critical conditions like enlarged prostate (BPH) or prostatitis. In most cases, a doctor is the first one to detect signs of prostate cancer, usually during a routine exam. That’s the reason why you should see your doctor if you’re experiencing any of these symptoms:
- Difficulty in urinating or holding urine
- Frequently urinating, quite often a night
- Weak or intermittent urine flow
- Painful or burning urination
- Urine or semen containing blood
- Painful ejaculations or difficulty in achieving erections
- Frequent lower back pain or stiffness in the upper thighs and hips
There are other factors that can affect your risk of developing prostate cancer, which 1 out of 6 American men are afflicted with. This makes it the most common type of non-skin cancer for men. These other risk factor include:
Age. The risk rises sharply as men get older. Under age 40, the odds are roughly 1 in 10,000 to be diagnosed with prostate cancer. However, for men between the ages of 40 – 59, the rate increases to 1 in 38, and for men between 60 – 69, 1 in 15.
Family genetics. A man with a father or brother that’s been diagnosed with prostate cancer is 2 times more likely to develop it himself. If the prostate cancer was diagnosed in those family members at an early age (say, younger than 55), or if 3 or more family members were affected, the risk jumps greatly.
Race. African-American men have a 60% more likely chance to develop prostate cancer than men of Caucasian origin, with their odds of dying from the cancer being more than twice that of whites. For U.S. men overall, the risk of prostate cancer is 17%. Asian men living in Asian countries have the lowest overall cancer rate (2%), but for those who have moved into Western cultures, their risk has been shown to rise dramatically.
Location. In the U.S, men living in cities north of 40 degrees latitude (around Philadelphia, PA or Columbus, OH) experience the highest risk of death from prostate cancer than for men living anywhere else. It’s commonly believed that the lower levels of sunlight in the northern regions reduces Vitamin D levels critical to good health.
Here are some additional risk factors that can lead to exhibiting prostate cancer symptoms and the aggressive development of prostate cancer:
- Significant lack of high-fiber vegetables (e.g., broccoli) in the diet
- High calcium consumption
- Lack of exercise because of a sedentary way of life
- Excessive height.
Factors and conditions that don’t seem to increase your risks for developing prostate cancer include:
- Obesity, or a high body mass index (BMI)
- Enlarged prostate (or BPH)
- Prostatitis
- Hypersexuality
- Vasectomies
- Prescription and over-the-counter drugs
- Alcohol
More than 200,000 new cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed every year in the U.S., and 32,000 men will die this year from it. Author Darrin Paulsent researched the subject in order to help men better distinguish between a true prostate cancer symptom and the much more common prostate enlarged symptoms that are easily treatable.