/ 19 December 2016

Five ways to reduce your risk of prostate cancer

Prostate cancer can be particularly aggressive in black men
Prostate cancer can be particularly aggressive in black men

Prostate cancer is the leading cancer among black men in the United States, Caribbean and Sub-Saharan Africa, according to a 2013 study in the journal Prostate Cancer.

The prostate is a walnut-sized gland found between the pubic bone and the rectum. It forms part of the male reproductive system and produces semen that transports sperm out of the man’s body during ejaculation, according to the Prostate Cancer Foundation in South Africa.

In its early stages, the cancer can be asymptomatic, but as it progresses, prostate cancer can make urinating and ejaculating painful.

The condition can be particularly aggressive in black men, says the United States research organisation Mayo Clinic. Researchers have not established whether the reason for the high rate of the condition among black men is because of lifestyle, genes, or a combination of both, according to Melvyn Freeman, the health department’s head of noncommunicable diseases.

But you can help decrease your risk of developing the condition by following these five tips.