TALKING about their below-the-belt health isn’t exactly a chat most men are rushing to have.
But the fact remains that prostate cancer is the biggest cancer diagnosed among men in the UK - and now, in England generally.
Prostate cancer is now the most common type of tumour in England following a surge in diagnoses after the Covid pandemic.
Analysis of NHS figures reveals 55,033 men were diagnosed with it in 2023, compared to 47,526 women with breast cancer, the next most common.
So, while talking about prostate health might feel a bit awkward, it’s definitely a conversation worth having - especially if something seems off or if you're at higher risk.
Prostate Cancer UK said a catch-up campaign for cases missed during lockdowns has increased the number of patients.
More men are also visiting their doctors thanks to better awareness, such as after cycling legend Sir Chris Hoy revealed his condition last year.
Early prostate cancer, which is more treatable, doesn’t normally carry symptoms.
“That’s why we do everything we can to make every man aware of his risk of getting the disease and empower him to think about his testing options," Chiara De Biase from the charity says.
"This is so that he has the best chance of getting that all-important earlier diagnosis.
"Because the earlier you find prostate cancer, the easier it is to treat.”
The likelihood of having the disease increases from 50 onwards.
Meanwhile, black men are at double the risk so are advised to be checked from the age of 45.
And the threat also doubles if your father or brother has had prostate cancer.
Some symptoms may start to emerge when the cancer growth is big enough to put pressure on the urethra – that tube you pee through.
When this happens, some people may experience the following:
If the disease has spread to other parts of the body - which is when it's known as advanced or metastatic prostate cancer - it can cause several other symptoms, including:
If you suspect you might have prostate cancer, speak to your GP.
The prostate is a small, gland, that only men have.
It can be found around the urethra, between the penis and the bladder.
Many men's prostates get bigger as they age because of two non-cancerous conditions: prostate enlargement and benign prostatic hyperplasia.
These conditions are more common than prostate cancer – but that doesn’t mean symptoms should be ignored, the charity said.
Prostate cancer is very common, but it's causes are unknown, the NHS says.
Recent research suggests obesity increases your risk of prostate cancer while exercising regularly lowers it.
A high-calcium diet, rich in dairy, is also thought to be unfavourable when it comes to risk level, the NHS says.
Eating foods that contain lycopene reduces the risk of prostate cancer developing, says.
This includes tomatoes and tomato-based foods, particularly when cooked.
The risk of developing prostate cancer depends on many factors, here are some of the facts about the disease and how many men it affects.
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