Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is different from most other cancers. Unlike other cancers, some prostate cancers will never progress to cause problems.

Your risk of prostate cancer increases if your father or brother has had it and it also increases with age. Younger men are less likely to get prostate cancer, but if they do, they are more likely to need treatment. This is because younger men will live with their cancer for longer, so there is more time for it to progress and cause problems.
Māori men are more likely than non-Māori men to die from prostate cancer because the cancer is often found too late to cure.

If prostate cancer is found early, it can usually be cured.

What is the prostate?

All men have a prostate. The prostate is a small walnut-shaped gland that surrounds the bladder opening. The prostate produces some of the fluid in semen.

From age 50, the prostate gland often increases in size. A larger than normal prostate gland can affect the urinary passage (the urethra) and can cause problems when men urinate (pee).

These problems can be:

• peeing more often
• having trouble getting started or stopping
• poor flow or dribbling
• often getting up at night to pee.

What is prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer occurs when the cells in the prostate gland grow out of control and form lumps, called tumours.
While some prostate cancers grow slowly, others can grow rapidly or spread to other areas, such as the bones, liver and lungs.

Slow-growing prostate cancer is common and may not cause any problems. It can be monitored and may never need treatment. Prostate cancer that grows rapidly or has spread outside the prostate can cause serious symptoms or death if not found and treated early.

How common is prostate cancer?

It’s the most common cancer in New Zealand men. Each year, about 3000 new prostate cancer cases are found and more than 600 men die. That’s a lot of grandfathers, fathers, husbands, sons and brothers.

What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?

As men get older, it is common for them to have these symptoms:

• peeing more often
• having trouble getting started or stopping
• poor flow or dribbling
• often getting up at night to pee.

Usually these symptoms are not caused by cancer. But, sometimes these symptoms are caused by cancer. If you have any of them, it is important to tell your doctor, nurse or health professional straight away.

Most men with early prostate cancer won’t know they have it.

If the cancer has spread outside the prostate gland, it can cause pain in the lower back, hips or ribs.

Do you have any of these symptoms?

What is my risk of prostate cancer?

As you get older, your risk of getting prostate cancer gets higher.
You are also more at risk of getting prostate cancer if your father or brother has had it.

Men who get prostate cancer before the age of 70 are more likely to need treatment. This is because younger men will live with their cancer for longer and there is more time for it to progress and cause problems. So it’s important for younger men to talk to their doctor or health professional about their risk of prostate cancer.

Close relatives

Prostate cancer affects families. The risk of prostate cancer is higher if your close relatives have had it. Men with a father or brother with prostate cancer are more than twice as likely to develop it.

If you are 40 years or older and your father or brother has had prostate cancer, talk to your doctor or health professional about your prostate cancer risk.

How can I reduce my risk of dying from prostate cancer?

You can reduce your risk of dying from prostate cancer by finding the cancer early and by having a healthy lifestyle.
The cause of prostate cancer is not yet known. But men who eat a lot of animal fat may have a higher chance of getting prostate cancer. You may be able to reduce your overall cancer risk by:

• maintaining a healthy body weight
• eating low-fat, high-fibre foods - including plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables
• exercising regularly
• being smokefree.

What changes can you make to reduce your risk of prostate cancer?

Checking your risk of prostate cancer

Having a prostate check is your decision. It won’t tell you if you have prostate cancer. The check assesses your risk of having it. The check will tell you how likely you are to have it.

Checks usually involve a blood test called a prostate-specific antigen test (PSA) and a digital rectal examination (DRE).

Age

Prostate cancer is more common as men get older. Prostate cancer is rare in men aged under 50.

Reference:   Ministry of Health (MOH) - 2015