Healthy living
Body matters
The important gland that men ignore
Prostate problems become increasingly common as the years pass, yet many men suffer in silence
Most men would rather put up with sleepless nights, getting up frequently to pass urine, than get themselves checked out by their GP, according to an ICM poll commissioned by the Prostate Cancer Charity for Prostate Cancer Awareness week.
In fact, almost one in three men thought it was normal for men their age to get up many times in the night to pee, although this can be a warning sign of prostate cancer. Over 25 percent thought they wouldn’t be able to get a doctor’s appointment and so wouldn’t bother and over a fifth were too frightened to go in case they found out bad news.
The researchers interviewed a random sample of 1,000 men aged 45 and above and asked them about ‘getting up in the night to pass urine’. A second poll questioned 2,000 men over the age of 18 on their knowledge of the prostate, prostate cancer and how long it would take them to visit the doctor if they found they frequently needed to pee.
‘It's amazing that so many men have such low expectations of their quality of life, as they get older, and are prepared to accept uncomfortable symptoms as normal and simply not visit their GP,’ says John Neate, The Prostate Cancer Charity chief executive,
‘Until men have been to a GP, they won't know why they are getting up several times at night to pee. Although this can be a symptom of prostate cancer, it can also be due to treatable age-related, benign changes in the prostate. It is concerning that a fear of a prostate cancer diagnosis might stop men taking the first vital steps to understanding what is wrong with them.’
The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that sits just below a man’s bladder. Its main function is to help in the production of semen. After the age of 50 the prostate tends to get bigger and this often results in urinary problems, which can include prostate cancer.
In the UK nearly 35,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year and 10,000 die from it. It tends to affect men over the age of 65 and is more common in those with a family history of the disease. African Caribbean men are three times more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than their white counterparts.
‘We certainly don't want men to panic about getting prostate cancer,’ says Neate. ‘But we do want far more men to be aware of their risks of this disease and their health in general.’
The ex-England rugby legend and Dancing on Ice champion, Kyran Bracken, who is lending his support to Prostate Cancer Awareness Week said: ‘Many people are touched by cancer, yet prostate cancer remains an unspoken disease. It is time that as men we put any ignorance aside, look after our health and know about prostate cancer.’
More on prostate health
- New test to pinpoint prostate cancer 'tigers'
- Laser treatment for enlarged prostate
- Questions to ask your doctor about genito-urinary conditions, including benign prostate disease
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Information on this site is for interest only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should consult your own doctor about any specific health concerns.
