THIS month is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and as part of its service to the community, Grove House wants all men to know the importance of early diagnosis of prostate cancer. Each year over 30,000 men in the UK are diagnosed wiThis month is Prostate

THIS month is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and as part of its service to the community, Grove House wants all men to know the importance of early diagnosis of prostate cancer.

Each year over 30,000 men in the UK are diagnosed wiThis month is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. As part of its service to the community, Grove House wants all men to know the importance of early diagnosis of prostate cancer.

Each year over 30,000 men in the UK are diagnosed with prostate cancer and it's the most common cause of cancer death in men. But on the plus side, four out of 10 men over 70 will have prostate cancer and live out their whole lives without it affecting them.

The prostate is a gland found only in men; it sits just below the bladder and is usually the size of a walnut, and it helps produce the fluids used in sexual intercourse.

The causes of prostate cancer are still relatively unknown, but there is some evidence that it might run in families. Symptoms are easy to spot and can include difficulty or pain in passing urine, frequent visits to the loo, especially at night, starting and stopping while urinating or dribbling urine.

If you notice any of these symptoms, it is important to notify your doctor immediately as early detection can lead to effective treatment.

A less common form of cancer in men is testicular cancer, with just over 1,500 new cases reported each year. Testicular cancer is most commonly found in men between 15 and 45 and, like prostate cancer, very little is known about its causes and early detection is vital.

The disease responds well to treatment and is almost always curable if found early. Any swelling or change in the shape or size of the testicles should immediately be reported to the doctor and young men should take time to check themselves regularly.

Day hospice staff nurse Fee McClure said: "We have several gentlemen who are referred to us here in the day hospice. We assess their needs to find out how best we can support them. Each week the patient is able to talk to a nurse about how they are feeling and they are enabled to look at different coping strategies. They can also benefit from the wide variety of therapies offered at the day hospice."

Grove House offers support to men and women affected by any type of cancer or life-threatening illness from diagnosis and throughout treatment. For first contact call 01727 731000 and your call will be directed to someone who can help you, or visit the website www.grove-house.org.uk

CANCERi, the information service at Grove House, provides free confidential information on most types of cancer, the direct number is 01727 843401.