Posted: 00:00, 4 August 2022 | Updated: 00:02, 4 August 2022
NHS focus on men’s urinary symptoms could hamper efforts to detect prostate cancer early, doctors warn. Researchers from the University of Cambridge said there was “no causal relationship” between prostate cancer and prostate size or urination problems. However, official health advice often promotes this link, which risks giving men a false sense of security, experts add. They want to raise awareness that the disease can have no symptoms in its early stages and say more men should come forward for tests. The top symptom given for prostate cancer on the NHS website is “needing to urinate more often, often during the night”, followed by “needing to rush to the toilet” and “difficulty starting to urinate”. Researchers from the University of Cambridge said there is “no causal relationship” between prostate cancer and prostate size or urination problems (stock image) Researchers, writing in the journal BMC Medicine, argue that the “strong public perception” that male urinary symptoms are a key indicator of prostate cancer “may seriously hamper efforts to encourage early screening.” He continues: “We are calling for strong clear messages that prostate cancer is a silent disease, especially in the curable stages, and men should be screened whether they have symptoms or not.” Professor Vincent Gnanapragasam, of the University of Cambridge, said: “We urgently need to recognize that the information currently given to the public risks giving men a false sense of security if they do not have urinary symptoms. “We must emphasize that prostate cancer can be a silent or asymptomatic disease, especially in the curable stages. The NHS was unable last night to say whether it would update its website in light of the new study. A new MRI could cut the number of men undergoing biopsies by 90%, says Prostate Cancer UK. It gives an indication of cell size, density and blood vessels in the prostate to better identify cancer, added researchers from University College London.
The three prostate cancer risk factors to watch out for
Getting older – it mainly affects men aged 50 and over and the risk increases with age. The most common age for a man to be diagnosed is between 65 and 69. Having a family history of prostate cancer – men are 2.5 times more likely to develop prostate cancer if their father or brother has been diagnosed with it. Ethnicity. Around one in four black men in the UK will develop prostate cancer in their lifetime and the risk may increase after the age of 45. A man with any of these three risk factors – or symptoms – should talk to his doctor. The family doctor can talk about a person’s risk and the tests that can be done to diagnose prostate cancer.
