What changes should you look out for?

            

Difficulties when urinating may indicate a prostate problem. Symptoms include:

              

• Needing to urinate more often, especially at night

• Difficulty in starting

• Straining or taking a long time to finish.

• A weak flow

• A feeling that your bladder has not emptied properly

• Needing to rush urgently to the loo

• Dribbling

             

Less common symptoms include:

                 

• Pain when peeing

• Pain when ejaculating

• Blood in urine or semen

• Difficulty in getting or maintaining an erection (but this is more commomly caused by other health conditions).

               

If you have any of these symptoms, you may wish to get further advice or a check-up at your GP surgery. Every man over the age of 50 in the UK has the right to have a simple blood test called a Prostate Specific Antigen Test, usually called a PSA test. This can indicate problems with your prostate. Talk it over with your GP who may refer you to a specialist for further tests and advice.

          

What if cancer is diagnosed?

                

• If the cancer is confined within the prostate, it is generally curable

• Early detection can prevent death

• Early stage disease allows a much wider choice of treatments – more than any other cancer. For further details of these treatments visit the Prostate Cancer UK website by clicking their logo at the bottom of this page

• If the cancer has spread outside the prostate there are fewer options for treatment

• Once the cancer has spread to other organs or bones, treatment is provided to control the condition.