Prostate Cancer Information

Prostate Cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK 

In the UK, about 1 in 8 men will get prostate cancer in their lifetime. More than 47,500 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year. Before the advent of COVID-19, more than 11,500 men would routinely die every year from prostate cancer - that's one death every 45 minutes. These figures may well have increased over the last 18 months.

 The prostate is a gland. It is usually the size and shape of a walnut and grows bigger as you get older. It sits underneath the bladder and surrounds the urethra, which is the tube that carries urine out of the body. Some prostate cancer grows too slowly to cause any problems or affect how long a person might live and because of this, many men with prostate cancer will never need any treatment. Unfortunately, some prostate cancer grows quickly and is more likely to spread. This is more likely to cause problems and needs treatment to stop it from spreading. Identifying prostate cancer early is very important, particularly if it is the type that grows quickly.

 
The reason that this particular cancer can be so devasting is that most men with early prostate cancer don't have any signs or symptoms. To compound matters, there is currently no routine screening programme for prostate cancer in the UK, and part of the reason for this is that there is currently no single test that can diagnose prostate cancer.

Men are at higher risk when;
- they are aged over 50; or
- there has already been an instance of prostate cancer in the family; or
- if they are of African-Caribbean and African descent.

 
Anyone falling into any one of these higher-risk categories should consider the possibility of regular testing to quickly identify any problems. The merits of doing this should be discussed with your GP.
One test that is available to those aged over 50 years through the NHS is a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) Test. This is a blood test that measures the amount of PSA in your blood. PSA is a protein produced by normal cells in the prostate and also by prostate cancer cells. It's normal to have a small amount of PSA in your blood, and the amount rises slightly as you get older and your prostate gets bigger. A raised PSA level may suggest you have a problem with your prostate, which could simply be caused by an enlarged prostate, prostatitis or a urinary infection. However, it could also be a sign of prostate cancer and so the test can provide a very important early indicator that further investigations are needed. You can have a PSA test at your GP surgery although you will need to discuss it with your GP first.

 
Unfortunately, the regular testing events organised by Lions Clubs and other charitable organisations such as PCaSO Prostate Cancer Support Organisation (www.pcaso.org) and The Graham Fulford Charitable Trust (www.psatests.org.uk) have been suspended since March 2020 but it is possible to arrange a PSA Home Testing Kit for those unable to arrange a PSA Test by more conventional methods with their GP. Other tests include a physical examination, an MRI scan, and a biopsy. 
Further information about Prostate Cancer, symptoms, testing, treatment, and support can be found at the following websites:-

www.nhs.uk - search prostate cancer (National Health Service Website)
www.prostatecanceruk.org (Prostate Cancer UK Charity)
www.cancerresearchuk.org (Cancer Research UK Charity)
www.phescreening.blog.gov.uk (Public Health England Screening Team Guidance)
www.macmillan.org.uk - search prostate cancer (Macmillan Cancer Support)
www.pcaso.org (PCaSO - Prostate Cancer Support Organisation)
www.psatests.org.uk (The Graham Fulford Charitable Trust)