Did you know that one in seven men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime? How much do you actually know about prostate health? Find out by taking our quiz HERE.

And, then keep reading because September is National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, so it’s the perfect time to get informed about this disease.
According to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, it is the second leading cause of cancer death in men in the U.S. as about 29,000 men will die of the disease each year. There is good news, though – if diagnosed early, the five-year survival rate is almost 100 percent! And, according to the American Cancer Society, more than 2 million U.S. men count themselves as prostate cancer survivors!

It is important to know who is at risk for getting prostate cancer and what those risks are. It is also essential to learn the signs and symptoms of the disease. The Prostate Cancer Foundation offers four major risk factors: age, race, family history and where you live. In the U.S., the average age at diagnosis is 69 years old. After age 69, the chance of developing prostate cancer increases more than any other cancer in men or women. Race is a risk factor because African-Americans are more likely to develop prostate cancer and are two times as likely to die from it.

Men with fathers or brothers who have prostate cancer have twice the chance of developing it, too. This family history risk is even greater if the cancer was diagnosed when the patient was less than 55 years old. Where you live seems to be a risk factor, too. Men who live in the U.S. have a 17 percent risk for developing prostate cancer, but the risk for men in rural China is only 2 percent! Even more interesting is the fact that U.S. men who live north of 40 degrees latitude (Philadelphia, Columbus, Ohio and Provo, Utah) have the highest risk for dying from prostate cancer. This might be caused by low vitamin D levels, brought about by inadequate sunlight during three months of the year.

Since the risk factors above cannot be changed, it is crucial for all men to take an active role in their health by learning more about prostate cancer. The American Cancer Society offers the following list of signs and symptoms of the disease:

• Problems urinating, including a slow or weak urinary stream or the need to urinate more often, especially at night.
• Blood in the urine or semen.
• Trouble getting an erection (erectile dysfunction).
• Pain in the hips, back (spine), chest (ribs), or other areas from cancer that has spread to bones.
• Weakness or numbness in the legs or feet, or even loss of bladder or bowel control from cancer pressing on the spinal cord.

If you or a loved one think you may be at risk for prostate cancer, or if you have any of the symptoms listed above, please talk to your doctor today!