Prostate cancer: THIS 'sudden' sex life-altering sign can indicate prostate cancer

Among all types of cancers, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men.

Reports suggest prostate is the second leading site of cancer among males in large Indian cities like Delhi, Kolkata, Pune and Thiruvananthapuram, while being third leading site of cancer in cities like Bangalore and Mumbai.

Given the alarming data, not only is it important to understand what prostate cancer is, but it is also crucial that all men are aware of all the symptoms it can cause.

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Prostate cancer is the cancer that occurs in the prostate, which is a small walnut-shaped gland in males that produces the seminal fluid, as explained by the Mayo Clinic.

Most prostate cancer grows gradually, wherein the abnormal cell growth is not rapid and is confined to the prostate gland. However, certain cancers can grow aggressively, spreading to other parts of the body, which is why detecting the disease early is key to prevention and effective treatment.

Talking to Express.co.uk about the signs and symptoms of prostate cancer, Navin Khosla, superintendent pharmacist at From Mars, says that “sudden” erectile dysfunction was one of the five main signs of the disease.

This common sign is said to affect one's sex life.

Erectile dysfunction (ED), also known as impotence, refers to when a person cannot get or maintain an erection. It can be a sign of both physical or psychological condition and depending on the cause can be treated accordingly.

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As per the doctor, the four other signs of prostate cancer include:

- Frequent urination, especially at night

- Having little bladder control

- Experiencing pain or a burning sensation when urinating or ejaculating

- Blood in your urine or semen.

Dr Khosla says, : “As prostate cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer amongst men, it is important to know the warning signs of the illness in order to detect the cancer early on."

“Urination is one of the key tells of prostate cancer, if urinating feels abnormal or painful then I would advise contacting your GP so they can perform a full check of your prostate.

“The risk of prostate cancer increases with age - after the age of 50, I would advise visiting your doctor for regular prostate examinations.

“This risk is increased further if there is a history of prostate cancer in your ancestry and also if you are of African-Caribbean or African ancestry - if this is the case I would advise the regular checks to start from the age of 45," he adds.

For those of you who want to get your prostate tested for cancer, there are helpful prostate screening tests you can take. These include:

Digital rectal exam (DRE), where they will insert a finger into your anus to check for any irregularities of your prostate.

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test is a blood test, which can look out for any antigens in your blood which arise if you have prostate cancer.

"Unfortunately, there’s no way of completely eradicating the risk of developing prostate cancer,” says Dr Khosla.

“However, there are a few lifestyle changes you can make to reduce the chances - maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly are important changes you can make to improve your health, also reducing animal-fat intake and consumption of processed meats can help reduce these risks," he advises.