The Cancer Council WA is using Prostate Cancer Awareness in September to issue a timely reminder to blokes in regional WA to familiarise themselves with the common symptoms of the disease.
Cancer Council WA Wheatbelt regional education officer Melissa Pickering said prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Western Australian men.
"It's vital men visit their local medical service when they experience unusual symptoms as there is no test with sufficient accuracy to screen the male population for prostate cancer," she said.
"Common symptoms of prostate cancer include waking frequently at night to pee, a sudden or urgent need to pee, difficulty controlling the bladder or the bladder not feeling empty after peeing, difficulty starting or stopping peeing, unexplained weight loss, needing to pee more often, a slow flow, pain, or dribbling at the end of peeing.
"If you have had any of these symptoms for more than four weeks, or you've noticed blood in your pee or semen even just once, tell your doctor, clinic nurse or Aboriginal health worker as soon as possible.
"It doesn't mean you've got prostate cancer - often it turns out to be something far less serious and your doctor may be able to help reduce the annoying symptoms.
"Treatment is most effective when cancer is found at an early stage, so finding cancer early can make a real difference."
In 2017 there were 2093 new cases of prostate cancer recorded compared to 270 deaths, with thousands of Western Australian mensuccessfully treated for prostate cancer.
For more information about prostate cancer and how to identify the symptoms, visit www.findcancerearly.com.au or call Cancer Council's information and support line on 13 11 20.
