Don't Wait on Your Prostate!

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Rectal exams and PSA level tests can be key in catching prostate cancer before it becomes a killer, but men sometimes wait to get checked until urinary problems pop up. Now, a world-renowned prostate expert says that’s a big mistake.

Elliot Weser walks around the track whenever he can.

"I certainly try to stay fit," Elliot told Ivanhoe.

But recently, something slowed him down. An enlarged prostate caused constant urination problems. He went to the doctor for help and admits cancer crossed his mind.

"Of course, you want to be sure there’s no reason to fear that you have a cancer of the prostate," Elliot said.

Dr. Ian Thompson says confusing symptoms of an enlarged prostate with signs of prostate cancer is a mistake a lot of men make.

"Now, we know that they’re generally unrelated," Dr. Thompson, from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, told Ivanhoe.

That's right! Dr. Thompson conducted a historic, decade-long study of almost 19,000 men and found no correlation between symptoms of an enlarged prostate and prostate cancer. Dr. Thompson tells us the findings go against several national cancer groups who urge men with urination troubles to get checked for prostate cancer.

Thompson urges most men to talk with their doctors about prostate cancer around age 50. If it’s in your family or you are African American, that conversation should start 10 years earlier. Bottom line: be proactive about your prostate before it’s too late.

"The vast majority of prostate cancers have no symptoms until they spread, until the cancer has spread," Dr. Thompson said.

Dr. Thompson says another study on the effects of certain vitamins and minerals on prostate cancer came back with some interesting results. Vitamin E slightly increased a man’s risk for prostate cancer and selenium increased the risk for diabetes. Vitamin E and selenium can be found in men’s supplements.