Despite prostate cancer being one of the most common type of cancers, many individuals usually turn a blind eye to how prevalent it is and the harm it can cause to the human body. The name ‘prostate cancer’ has been taken for granted and is regarded as “just another medical term”. As the name suggests, it is a cancer which occurs in the prostate and if left unchecked, can cause a great deal of harm.
In many cases of prostate cancer, it grows slowly and often affects just the prostate gland where it may not cause serious harm. This type of prostate cancer may need minimal or even no treatment at all. However, there are other types which are aggressive and can quickly spread to other organs and cause even greater damage to the body.
Some symptoms of prostate cancer may include trouble urinating, decreasing force in the stream of urine, blood in the urine, blood in the semen, bone pain, weight loss, erectile dysfunction, etc. One should note that prostate cancer may cause no signs or symptoms in its initial stages, and may almost be undetectable unless a test is done.
According to the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER), it’s not clear what causes prostate cancer. Doctors are able to identify prostate cancer when they detect changes in the DNA of the prostate cells. This kind of change is when the cells begin to grow and divide more rapidly than normal cells do. The abnormal cells continue living while the other cells die.
Some factors that increase your risk of prostate cancer may include: old age, obesity, family history, race, etc. For reasons yet to be determined, black people have a greater risk of prostate cancer than people of other races. Black people are also more likely to suffer from aggressive or advanced form of prostate cancer than people from other races.
To prevent or reduce your risk of getting prostate cancer, you need to adhere to the following: choose a healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables, choose healthy foods over supplements, exercise most days of the week, maintain a healthy weight, talk to a doctor if you notice any abnormalities in your body.
A healthy lifestyle can help reduce the risk of getting prostate cancer and every individual is advised to take this disease serious and not overlook it as it has the tendency to cause great harm to the human body.
>>>the writer is a level 300 student studying Bachelor of Arts in Communication (Journalism) in the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ)
