The lowdown on prostate cancer

Dr Andrew Rochford tackles the touchy subject of prostate cancer to find out more about something that all guys should be talking about.

Prostate cancer is second only to lung cancer when it comes to killing Aussie blokes, and it's all because of a gland the size of a walnut.

The prostate … what does it do?

Andrew went to visit Associate Professor Philip Stricker, a urologist at St Vincent's Clinic in Sydney to find out more. "The prostate gland in essence makes fluid for ejaculation. That's really its only function, it's a fertility organ," says the professor.

So the prostate comes into play when you get playful under the covers. At this point, most guys would argue that there's nothing wrong with their old fella. Well statistics show that one in 10 guys reading this already has prostate cancer, the trouble is the unlucky one may not know because there are no symptoms in the early stages.

If you want to pick it up at a curable stage you really do have to look for it when it has no symptoms.

How do I get tested for prostate cancer?

To check if you've got prostate cancer, you need to take what Andrew calls, "the dreaded finger test." Australian actor and writer Alan Hopgood remembers it vividly, he even put his experiences into a play, For Better, For Worse — "Because it's my story, I can make jokes about what I've been through," says Alan.

As well as the physical test, there's also a blood test. So why not forget about the physical and just have the blood test?

Professor Stricker: "The blood test will often pick things up well before a lump forms in the prostate and you can feel it. But sometimes some cancers don't make the chemical that makes up the blood test and then they have a lump before the blood test. So you need both to pick it up."

What age should you start getting tested?

It's once a year from age 50 for most blokes, but from 40 if you have a family history of the disease.

The good news about prostate cancer is that if you find it early enough you've got a 90 percent chance of being cured.

But what if that cure might also come with an unfortunate side effect?

Prostate cancer: does it make you impotent?

Once prostate cancer's diagnosed, treatments include ultrasound, radiotherapy and surgery. But surgery can leave some men impotent. To find out why you have to look at the biology. The prostate gland holds and releases seminal fluid, but either side of it are super-sensitive nerves which play a key role in giving you an erection. If these nerves get damaged then you'll be impotent.

Surgery used to have the most impact on a patient's sex life. But new nerve-sparing techniques give men a much greater chance of a full recovery down there. So just what are your chances of staying a stud after prostate cancer?

"Seventy percent of people in their late 60s or 70s get erection problems, but with carefully selected treatments in 50-year-olds, it might only be 10 to 30 percent of people who get erection problems. So it's very much how good are your erections beforehand and how old are you? They're the critical things," says Professor Stricker.

Again, guys have got to be brave and talk about it — prostate cancer need not be a death sentence on you or your sex life.

Are there ways to reduce the risk of contracting prostate cancer?

No one really knows what causes prostate cancer but experts believe there's a lifestyle link, "The big buzzword at the moment for prevention is a healthy heart diet is a healthy prostate diet," says Professor Stricker.

• Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables every day, tomatoes are great and, it's just been discovered, spinach has a compound that powerfully inhibits prostate cancer.
• Experts also believe getting some soy protein such as tofu and soy milk may help stave of the big C.
• Go easy on the animal products, which should ideally only make up about five percent of your daily calorie intake, especially dairy.
• You should also try to keep your fatty oils and nuts down to a minimum.
• Finally, some experts also recommend selenium supplements.

Prevention is important but don't forget that screening is also vital. It's not a popular topic of discussion down the pub, but men ignoring this subject do so at their own peril. It seems the magic age is about 50, but if you feel like you're in a higher risk category, you should go and see your GP earlier, because this is one killer that early detection can beat.

Fast facts

• Prostate cancer claims 2700 Australian men every year.
• Early detection is vital and successful treatment rates are as high as 90 percent if caught early enough.
• Does having a vasectomy increase your chances of getting prostate cancer when you're older? Scientists say there's no biological reason why it should. Numerous studies have shown no proven link between the two.
• How big can your prostate become as you age? It can increase from the size of a walnut, to the size of a plum. An enlarged prostate usually means you have difficulty passing water.