Most of the men think that Prostate Cancer is not going to happen to them unless their father or brother has had the disease. Around more than 1.1 million men worldwide are diagnosed with Prostate Cancer each year. Finding out that you have the disease can be frustrating for you and you may feel confused and lost, but, like other types of cancers, there is Prostate Cancer treatment available that can cure the disease, if it is diagnosed timely and treated properly. Like any other disease, there are some misconceptions and myths about Prostate Cancer.
To help you out, here we give you some of the most common myths and facts about Prostate Cancer:
MYTH 1: ONLY OLDER MEN AFFECTED WITH PROSTATE CANCER.
Fact: Though it is true that older men are commonly diagnosed with the disease, Prostate Cancer can also affect younger men. According to American Cancer Society (ACS), about 40 percent of all the cases occur before the age of 65. Age is not the only factor that increases the risk of developing the disease, but there are some other factors, which include:
Family history: If your father or brother had affected with the disease then you are two to three times likely to develop it. The more relatives you have affected with disease, the higher are the chances for you to get it.
Race: African-American men are at high risk of getting the disease than anyone else.
ACS recommends that all men with an average risk of the disease should talk with the doctor about getting Prostate Cancer Screening tests (PSA test) at the start of age 50. However, if you have family history of the disease then you should get screening at the age of 40-45. So, if you have any concerns or risks then you must discuss them with the doctor and decide whether you need testing for Prostate Cancer earlier.
