Prostate cancer – know the signs. What peculiar sight in the toilet bowl needs to be noted? Find out here.
Cancer of the prostate gland occurs when abnormal cells begin to multiply at an uncontrollable speed.
Situated between the bladder and the urethra, it’s no surprise a loo break can be enlightening.
What’s the purpose of the prostate gland?
Speaking to Cancer Research UK, Dr Vincent Gnanapragasam explains the function of the prostate gland.
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Dr Gnanapragasam said: “[The prostate gland] produces fluid that washes semen and keeps the sperm healthy for successful fertilisation.”
When cancer invades the prostate gland, there may be some telling signs.
According to the charity, who hope to bring awareness to the nation, semen in the urine is a cause for concern.
What is semen?
Let’s get straight to it – semen and sperm are not the same thing.
Sperm is one of the many components found in semen, including proteins, ascorbic acid, amino acids, phosphorus, potassium, I-carnitine and fructose.
Fluids from the prostate gland that add to the semen include citric acid, calcium, zinc and magnesium.
Semen is produced by various body parts: the testes, epididymis, seminal vesicles, prostate gland, Cowper’s gland and urethral glands.
The nutrient-rich fluid’s role is to transport the sperm to the female’s egg after intercourse.
The male reproductive system
The testicles make and store sperm and, alongside the testicles, the epididymis and the vas deferens transport the sperm.
The accessory glands, including the seminal vesicles and prostate gland, provide fluids to lubricate the duct system and nourish the sperm.
The urethra is the tube that carries semen (and urine) outside of the body through the penis.
When ejaculating (releasing semen), the reflex action causes the opening that drains the bladder to close.
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This means urine is not released at the same time as semen.
However, as noted above, releasing semen while urinating may be indicative of prostate cancer.
Other urinary symptoms to look out for include blood in urine, needing to pass urine more often and the sudden feeling of urgency (to pee).
In addition, some people may experience nocturia, which is the need to get up during the night to empty your bladder.
Others can experience difficulty passing urine, including a weaker flow, straining to start peeing and feeling as though you’ve not fully emptied your bladder.
Although these signs could be signs of an enlarged prostate – common in elderly men – it’s best to get it checked out by a GP.
Note any symptoms you’re experiencing to discuss them with your doctor.
From there, tests will be done to determine what exactly is going on.
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