Men's Health - Men's Health Line

The prostate is a male sex gland which produces a thick fluid that forms part of the semen. Prostate cancer results from an abnormal growth of the cells in the prostate.

The causes for prostate cancer are not yet fully understood. Prostate cancer tends to happen in older men and is rarely found in men below the age of 50.

Diet that is high in animal fat and low in fibre (fruit and vegetables)

A family history of prostate cancer

Exposure to chemicals, such as cadmium and dioxin

Early prostate cancer has no symptom and many cases go undetected. For the symptomatic ones, common signs and symptoms of prostate cancer include:

Difficulty or delays in urinating

Slow or weak stream of urine

Pain while urinating

Blood in urine

Swollen lymph nodes in the groin area

Pain in the lower back, pelvis and hips

Certainly adopting a healthy lifestyle minimizes the risk of getting prostate cancer. This means you have to eat lots of fruits, vegetables, grains and cereals, but not much meat and animal fat.

If you have a family history of prostate cancer, consult your doctor on this for the necessity of screening.

If you notice any symptoms as described above, you should consult a doctor immediately.

For suspected cases, the doctor may carry out some investigations. These include rectal examination, blood tests, urine tests, ultrasound examination and procedures to obtain tissue samples for laboratory examination.

The Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test is commonly used for detecting prostate cancer. However, unless you experience symptoms, before you decide to go for a PSA blood test, consider the following facts:

About 15 to 25% of men with prostate cancer may not have a raised PSA.

A raised PSA can be caused by other conditions such as BPH, prostatitis (inflammation of prostate) and infection. 2 out of 3 men with a raised PSA do not have prostate cancer, which means some will eventually be given unnecessary further tests such as needle biopsy. These tests have risks.

Prostate cancer is not always an aggressive disease. Many men with prostate cancer don't have symptoms and do not die from it. These men don't really need treatment, which may have side effects on its own and may cause more problems than the cancer does.

So, discuss with your family doctor about the pros and cons before making the decision of having a "screening" PSA blood test.

The doctor will recommend the optimal treatment depending on the size of the tumour, along with the extent to which it affects the patient's life, and the presence of any other medical conditions. For some men, especially those who are older or having other medical problems, the "treatment" of choice may simply be "watchful waiting" with regular medical examination to make sure that the tumour has not begun to grow rapidly.

If treatment is needed, treatment for prostate cancer may include surgery, chemotherapy (use of anti-cancer or hormonal drugs), or radiotherapy (use of x-rays to target and kill cancer cells), alone or in combination.

If you have a diagnosis of prostate cancer, there are many things you can do to cope better and to improve your quality of life, including:

Understand your illness and its treatment.

Talk to someone (your partner, a friend or counselor) how you feel.

Learn how to cooperate with the people involved with your care, including the health professionals, your family and friends.

Take part in support groups to boost the ability to self-care and to obtain mutual support.

Eat properly and have a healthy diet.

Exercise regularly under medical supervision.

Avoid stress, learn relaxation techniques and do things that you can enjoy.

In Hong Kong, the incidence of prostate cancer has increased at the fastest rate among all cancers affecting men.

If any of your family members suffer from prostate cancer, you should ask your doctor for any necessary screening.

Cancer Hotline
"Cancer Comrades" Cancer Hotline
Opening : 8 pm to 10 pm
Phone: 2893 2122 / 2987 8933