What the heck is a prostate?!
Is it a bird? Is it an airplane? Is it Pro-State, an American football team? Hmm. For many, it's safe to say that the prostate is a mystery.
When it comes to this baffling male gland, almost half of men (44 percent) admit they don't know where it is located. And this is evident from a survey by OnePoll among 2,000 men on behalf of Prostate cancer UKa whopping 74 percent said they don't know what their prostate does.
In medical terms, the prostate is basically a miracle, but it is also the place where the most common cancer in men begins. One in eight men gets prostate cancer.
If you're over 50, black and over 45, or if your father or brother has had it, you're at even greater risk — a sobering thought considering more than 12,000 men die from prostate cancer every year.
Early detection of prostate cancer saves lives. So it's time we all learn more about what it is and how men can quickly control their risk of developing it.
Basically, the prostate gland is located just below the bladder and in front of the rectum. It is about the size of a walnut and its main job is to help make semen – the fluid that transports semen. So it's pretty clever – and definitely worth keeping an eye on, don't you think?
But I would have symptoms, right? No, early-stage prostate cancer often has no symptoms, so men shouldn't wait for it – but it is there should know their risk.
To help men know their risk, detect prostate cancer early and save lives, Prostate Cancer UK has a online risk checker that can be completed in under a minute. It's anonymous, easy to use and might just save your life. So why not take the risk checker today or share it with a man you love?
Prostate Cancer UK is the UK's largest men's health charity, working to give men the power to navigate the disease, by providing information, support and guidance to men and those who love them.
The charity also funds groundbreaking research into prostate cancer which is working to create an effective screening program to help many more men detect prostate cancer early and save lives.
The facts behind the fiction
MYTH It's not one of the cancers we should worry about, right?
FACT Unfortunately this is not true. Prostate cancer is THE most common form of cancer in men, with 12,000 deaths per year.
MYTH Aren't all men at the same risk?
FACT No. One in eight men will develop prostate cancer during their lifetime. You are at greater risk of prostate cancer if:
- You are black and over 45
- You are over 50
- You have a family history of prostate, breast or ovarian cancer
MYTH I would know if I had prostate cancer – I would have symptoms, right?
FACT Cancer is a sneaky disease. It can grow slowly. Early prostate cancer often has no symptoms, so don't wait until you feel any change.
MYTH Isn't the first test a finger in the ass?
FACT Let's not get ahead of ourselves… the first thing is a PSA (prostate specific antigen) blood test. An elevated PSA level may indicate that you have a problem with your prostate, but not necessarily cancer. A rectal exam can give your doctor useful information about how healthy your prostate feels. It is painless and quick (literally seconds).
MYTH Will my doctor not invite me for a test?
FACT Unfortunately, there is no screening program for prostate cancer in the UK. So you Be proactive and don't wait for a letter or phone call from your doctor.
It's critical that you understand what your risk is and what you can do about it. Take prostate cancer in Britain online risk checker. It takes 30 seconds.
Ian McNeil, 56, a former management consultant from Glasgow, was 52 when he was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer. He had no symptoms, no family history and was fit and active.
Following treatment, he has now made a full recovery and is spreading the word to other men to find out more about their risk from using Prostate Cancer UK's risk checker.
“Through my work I had an annual medical check-up, and they suggested a PSA blood test as part of that package.
“I didn't know much about prostate cancer other than the usual myths that you don't want to get tested because you'll be sticking a finger up your ass. But it was just a simple blood test. And my PSA level was a little high.
“I had it tested every year after that and it started to make sense. Then I missed a year when I changed jobs, and when I had it tested again, my level had skyrocketed.”
In 2018, Ian was referred to a urologist, who revealed to him the shocking news that he had prostate cancer.
It's a taboo subject, it's something 'down there' and it has to do with your sexual organs
“I thought this was an old age disease, but I was 52. They told me if I didn't do something about it I wouldn't live to be 60.”
Within weeks Ian had a prostatectomy – an operation to remove his prostate – but he also required radiotherapy and hormone therapy.
“They thought they had everything and that I didn't need any further treatment, but when I had my PSA tested a month or two later it was still too high. The cancer had jumped from the prostate into my lymph nodes.
“So I had seven weeks of radiotherapy and something called hormone treatment therapy for two years. Intense? Just a little!”
Five years later, Ian undergoes regular six-monthly blood tests and check-ups. Fortunately, the cancer is now undetectable.
“My PSA went to zero about six to eight months after my radiotherapy – a sign that the treatment had worked. For starters, I was a nervous wreck every time I was tested. Now I just don't worry about it.
“It's a taboo subject, it's something 'down there' and it has to do with your sexual organs. And that might be something you don't really want to talk about. But that has to change – the point is that you can potentially save your life.
“I told my sons that they need to get tested. When I'm in the pub with guys my age and they're joking, “Oh, how often do you get up at night?” I say, “Have you been for a test?”
“I had no symptoms, and I think that's all the more reason we need a screening program. The sooner you catch it, the better. But now make sure that you at least assess your own risk and take action if necessary.”
He adds: “I feel good and I know it has been treated. Fingers crossed that it's over for good.”
Separate fact from fiction and help save lives. Check your risk of prostate cancer now. More information can be found at Prostate cancer website of Great Britain