Infection, enlargement and cancer are three common problems that challenge prostate health. According to the Canadian Cancer Society prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in Canadian men and it accounts for almost one in four cancer diagnoses. In 2002, an estimated 18,200 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer; 4,300 died from it. On average, 350 Canadian men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer every week. Of those diagnosed, 83 will die each week. Further, statistics reveal that one in eight men will develop prostate cancer during his lifetime after age 70 and one in 28 will die from it.
Symptoms of an enlarged prostate typically appear in men after 50 years of age, in many cases even earlier. An enlarged prostate does not necessarily indicate cancer, but it is a symptom that should not be ignored. It is not uncommon for the prostate gland to become enlarged as a man ages. This condition is referred to as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The exact cause of this condition is not known. Prostate enlargement and cancer are both linked to hormonal changes that occur as men get older which is similar to the menopausal changes that occur in women. Statistics show that approximately 75% of males between the ages of 30 to 40 will develop enlargement of the prostate. This increases to 90% of men over the age of 65 years.
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