Get your prostate checked

The top five cancers that affect South African men are prostate, colorectal (relating to the colon and rectum), lung, Kaposi sarcoma (causing legions in the soft tissues) and bladder cancer. This is according to the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA). Here, we focus on prostate cancer:

Signs

Symptoms include leaking after urination, frequent weeing, weak or interrupted urine flow, constant urination at night, blood in your pee and discomfort when sitting down. Speak to your doctor if you need more information.

Contributing factors

Your age, an unhealthy diet, smoking cigarettes, being overweight plus your alcohol consumption all intensify the risk of prostate cancer.

Testing

CANSA suggests annual testing for men from the age of 40 years who are at high risk of prostate cancer, yearly testing for men from the age of 45 years who are at risk of prostate cancer, and testing every two years for men from the age of 50. High-risk candidates have more than one relative who has had prostate cancer before the age of 65, while risk candidates have one relative who has had prostate cancer before the age of 65.

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