5 things you should know about prostate cancer

Discover five things you should know about the symptoms, detection and prevention of prostate cancer, one of the most common cancers affecting Canadian men.

The idea of skittish men dodging a visit to the doctor may be cliched—but there's usually a kernel of truth in cliches. One in eight Canadian men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, and regular visits to your doctor are their best defence against the disease.

Changes in your urinary habits are one of the most common signs that something is wrong. If you experience a sudden, frequent urge to urinate, painful urination or a feeling like you just can't empty your bladder, it may be indicative of prostate cancer. Other possible warning signs include painful ejaculation and bloody semen or urine.

Your doctor can screen you for prostate cancer using two tests: a digital rectal exam, in which he feels the size and shape of your prostate, and a blood test that measures levels of the prostate specific antigen (PSA).

The PSA test doesn't actually diagnose cancer, but it can serve as a useful signal that something isn't quite right. If either test indicates a problem, your doctor may conduct a biopsy to determine whether a cancerous tissue is in your prostate.

Doctors still don't entirely understand what causes prostate cancer, but they do know that regular exercise and a healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables and omega-3 fatty acids from foods, such as salmon, hemp and flax seed, can help reduce your risk. If your doctor feels you're at high risk of developing prostate cancer, he or she may prescribe some medications to reduce your risk.

Depending on your age, how slowly your prostate cancer is growing and how willing you are to accept the side effects of aggressive treatment, your doctor may postpone treatment and actively monitor the growth of the cancer.

If you do have prostate cancer and decide to have it treated, your odds of beating the disease are better than ever, as fatality rates have been decreasing steadily throughout the 2000s. The most extreme treatment option is a radical prostatectomy, or complete removal of the prostate gland.

Other options include hormone therapy, chemotherapy and external beam radiation, which uses a highly focused beam to kill cancer cells.

Knowledge is power, especially when it comes to your health. Use these five important prostate cancer to help protect yourself.