Prostate cancer is now the most common form of disease in UK – the 7 red-flag warning signs
PROSTATE cancer is now the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK, according to new figures.
The disease has overtaken breast cancer cases with 57,192 new diagnoses in 2018 - the most recent data available.
That was higher than the 57,153 cases of breast cancer, which was previously the most common, followed by 48,054 cases of lung cancer and 42,879 of bowel cancer.
Experts suggest the rise in cases is due to greater awareness, with stars like BBC presenter Bill Turnball and actor Stephen Fry talking about his experience.
Prostate Cancer UK, which carried out the analysis, said it showed the need for better testing and treatment.
The latest figures suggest new cases of prostate cancer have more than doubled over the last 20 years, while around 400,000 men in the UK are currently living with the disease or have survived it.
Caught earlier
More prostate cancers are now being caught at the locally advanced stage (stage III), when the disease is more treatable than if it has spread.
However, more men are also being diagnosed at early stage I, when the cancer may never cause harm during their lifetime, and therefore close monitoring rather than aggressive treatment is recommended.
We need research now more than ever, which is why it really is devastating that so much of it has been brought to a standstill by the Covid-19 crisis
Angela Culhane
Angela Culhane, chief executive of Prostate Cancer UK, said: "While it's good news that more men have been having conversations with their GPs and being diagnosed earlier, it only serves to reinforce the need not only for better treatments which can cure the disease, but for better tests that can differentiate between aggressive prostate cancer that needs urgent treatment and those which are unlikely to ever cause any harm.
"We need research now more than ever, which is why it really is devastating that so much of it has been brought to a standstill by the Covid-19 crisis.
"Accelerating research to recover from this major setback will cost millions, but at the same time we're predicting an unprecedented drop in our fundraising due to the impact of the pandemic."
Pandemic knock-on
The charity warned that the Covid-19 pandemic is leading to a reduction in referrals for all types of cancer, including prostate cancer.
Ms Culhane said: "We know that the Covid-19 pandemic will have knock-on effects on diagnosis and treatment for prostate cancer for some time to come.
"But as services begin to return to normal, it's important that anyone with concerns about their prostate cancer risk speaks to their GP or contacts our specialist nurses - particularly if they have any symptoms.
"Men who are most at risk are those aged 50 and over, black men and men with a family history of the disease."
Mr Turnbull said: "It is really very humbling to think that by sharing my prostate cancer experience, I may have helped more men come forward to have those important conversations with their GP and ultimately get diagnosed sooner.
"But with prostate cancer now the UK's most commonly diagnosed cancer, what we urgently need now is the research to make sure that men get the best tests and treatments possible.
"Sadly, Covid-19 has interrupted so much of this crucial research, which is why I'm supporting Prostate Cancer UK's fundraising efforts.
"It's a difficult time for many of us, but anything you can do will go a long way to making sure we don't lose momentum in the fight against prostate cancer."
The signs of prostate cancer
Caught an earlier stage increases the chances of beating it - which is why it's vital to know the early warning signs.
Most men with early prostate cancer won't notice any symptoms. That's because the disease tends to grow in a part of the prostate that's away from the urethra.
It's only when the cancer is big enough to press on the tube that men tend to notice symptoms, including:
- Trouble starting to pee
- Difficulty emptying your bladder
- A slow flow when you pee
- A feeling that your bladder hasn't emptied properly
- Dribbling after you finish peeing
- Needing to pee more, especially at night
- A sudden need to pee, sometimes leaking before getting to the loo
If prostate cancer breaks out of the gland and invades other parts of the body, it can cause other symptoms, including:
- Back, hip or pelvis pain
- Problems getting or keeping an erection
- Blood in the urine or semen
- Unexplained weight loss
These symptoms can all be caused by other health problems, but it’s still a good idea to tell your GP about any symptoms so they can find out what’s causing them and make sure you get the right treatment, if you need it.
It's also useful to know the key risk factors - Orchid’s F.A.C.E. up to prostate cancer campaign is aimed at helping people remember...
More on prostate cancer
Family history – having a brother or father with prostate cancer may double a man’s risk compared to men with no family history of the disease.
Age – the older a man gets the greater the risk, with prostate cancer most commonly affecting men over the age of 50.
Change in urinary habits – changes in urinary habits are not always a sign of prostate cancer but they can be a symptom.
Ethnicity – black African and black Caribbean men are at double the risk of developing prostate cancer than other men and may develop the disease earlier too, most commonly affecting men from this group over 45.