Prostate cancer mainly affects men over 50, with risk of developing the disease increasing as a person grows older.
Risk factors for prostate cancer include smoking and obesity. However, scientists are always working to find out new risks and symptoms connected to the disease.
A new study conducted by the University of East Anglia has discovered that a sign in men's urine may be related to aggressive prostate cancer.
The researchers have also said that further study might help find new ways to spot and prevent the illness. Here's what you need to know about the newly identified potential sign for prostate cancer as well as symptoms of the disease.
What is the sign in urine that could be linked to prostate cancer?
Researchers from the University of East Anglia have identified bacteria in the urine, which could be linked to aggressive prostate cancer.
The study found that bacteria in the urine was much more common in men with aggressive or advanced prostate cancer than in those men with low risk or no cancer.
Scientists identified five types of bacteria - including two brand new species - in urine and tissue samples from men who ended up having aggressive prostate cancer.
Bacterial infections are already known to play a part in development of other cancers. For example, a bug called H. pylori can trigger stomach cancer.
However, it's not known yet if the bacteria in the urine causes the prostate cancer or is just a helpful marker of the disease.
Dr Rachel Hurst, from the research team, said: "Among the things we don't yet know is how people pick up these bacteria, whether they are causing the cancer, or whether a poor immune response permits the growth of the bacteria.
"But we hope that our findings and future work could lead to new treatment options that could slow or prevent aggressive prostate cancer from developing."
Dr Jeremy Clark, also from UEA’s Norwich Medical School added that while there's little known about what causes prostate cancer to be more aggressive in certain men, that there is now "evidence that certain bacteria are involved in this and are part of the puzzle.”
What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?
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Prostate cancer doesn't usually cause symptoms until the cancer has grown large enough to put pressure on the urethra.
The NHS outlines common symptoms of prostate cancer as:
- needing to pee more frequently, often during the night
- needing to rush to the toilet
- difficulty in starting to pee (hesitancy)
- straining or taking a long time while peeing
- weak flow
- feeling that your bladder has not emptied fully
- blood in urine or blood in semen
In case of advanced prostate cancer, symptoms can include:
- Losing bowel control
- Soreness in the groin
- Leg swelling
- Hip or back pain
- Feeling out of breath
- Unexplained weight loss
While these symptoms don't always mean you have prostate cancer, it's important that you get yourself checked out if you're experienced any of these symptoms.