ABOUT PROSTATE CANCER

WHAT IS THE PROSTATE AND WHAT IS PROSTATE CANCER?

The prostate is a small gland that sits underneath the bladder and grows larger as you get older. The main role of the prostate is to produce semen, the fluid that carries sperm.3-6

Prostate cancer occurs when the cells in the prostate start growing in an uncontrolled way.3 Sometimes the cancer will grow very slowly and no treatment is needed, but sometimes it can grow more quickly and spread.5

The prostate is a small gland that sits underneath the bladder and grows larger as you get older. The main role of the prostate is to produce semen, the fluid that carries sperm.3-6

Prostate cancer occurs when the cells in the prostate start growing in an uncontrolled way.3 Sometimes the cancer will grow very slowly and no treatment is needed, but sometimes it can grow more quickly and spread.5

WHO HAS  A PROSTATE?

If you were born male then you have a prostate. This means that men, trans women, non-binary people who were assigned male at birth and some intersex people have a prostate.8

For trans women, the prostate is not removed as part of genital reconstructive surgery and continues to grow in size with age. The size increase is less if you’re taking hormones such as oestrogen.9

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WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF PROSTATE CANCER?

Prostate cancer symptoms can include*:4,7

Difficulty starting to urinate or emptying your bladder

A weak flow when you urinate

A feeling that your bladder hasn’t emptied properly

Blood in your urine or semen

The urge to urinate more frequently, especially at night

*Symptoms refer to localised prostate cancer. List is not exhaustive.

However, prostate cancer doesn't always show symptoms.6,7 Knowing if you may be at risk can help identify early signs of cancer. If there is a problem, the sooner it is identified then the more your doctor can do. Taking ownership of your health and well-being and listening to your body is an important first step. If you may be at increased risk, speak to your doctor to discuss the tests available and help you put your mind at ease.

You can find more information on tests for prostate cancer here.

FIND OUT MORE

 

 

Who may be at risk of developing prostate cancer?

Anyone with a prostate can develop prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men worldwide, and there were over 1.4 million men diagnosed globally in 2022.1,2

 

Prostate cancer doesn’t just affect older men. In fact, if you’re over 50, or if you’re Black and over 45, or if anyone in your family has had prostate cancer, you may be at a higher risk.6,10-12 Also, if anyone in your family has had other cancers such as breast, ovarian or pancreatic cancer, you may be at increased risk.13 If you fall into any of these groups, it is important you talk to your doctor about your risk of prostate cancer.

NEVER MISS A GAME. NEVER MISS A GOAL.
NEVER MISS A CHANCE AT EARLY DIAGNOSIS.

©2024. All rights reserved. Date of preparation: October 2024 | Document ID: 
Z4-68846

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References

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