Men, the length of the fingers can indicate the risk of developing prostate cancer

Bisnis.com, JAKARTA – Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK, with about one in eight men diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime.

In the early stages, there are usually no symptoms but research suggests the length of your fingers may indicate your risk.

Prostate cancer usually develops slowly, so there may not be signs for years. According to the NHS, prostate cancer symptoms usually don’t appear until the prostate is large enough to affect the duct that carries urine from the bladder out of the penis (urethra). If this happens, you may notice a number of disruptions to your bathing habits.

Symptoms of prostate cancer: The only sign of a deadly disease that all men should be aware of. According to the NHS, these include:

1. Urinate more frequently, more frequently at night

2. Need to rush to the toilet

3. Difficulty starting to urinate (hesitation)

4. Straining or taking a long time to urinate

5. Weak flow

6. Feeling that your bladder is not completely empty

7. Blood in urine or blood in semen.

However, these symptoms do not always mean you have prostate cancer.

“They can be caused by other prostate conditions such as benign enlargement and prostatitis,” said Christian Brown, Consultant Urological Surgeon at The Prostate Center, Harley Street Clinic, part of HCA Healthcare UK.

As Brown explains, a urologist can investigate and provide an accurate diagnosis.

“However, it is important that you seek medical help immediately and not delay, because early diagnosis is the key to improving outcomes and survival,” he warned.

Are you at risk?

It’s not known exactly what causes prostate cancer, although a number of things can increase your risk of developing the condition.

Research has identified some surprising risk associations with prostate cancer.

One surprising risk factor that has been identified is the length of your finger.

A study published in the British Journal of Cancer found that if the index finger was longer than their ring finger, men were 33 percent less likely to develop prostate cancer than those whose index fingers were longer or shorter than their ring finger, Brown reported. .

Another surprising risk factor is that taller men may be more prone to prostate cancer than shorter men.

In a British study, researchers studied just under 10,000 men who had or did not have prostate cancer at the time and found that the highest men had a 19 percent higher chance of developing prostate cancer than the shortest men, Brown said.

Also, the gender of your child may indicate your risk of developing prostate cancer.

According to an Israeli study, men who only have girls may be up to 60 percent more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than those who only have boys, Brown reports.

“This is because men who have certain genes on their Y chromosome are more likely to have girls than boys – and this same gene is associated with higher rates of prostate cancer,” he said.

What about the more common risk factors? According to Brown, established risk factors include:

1. Age – although prostate cancer can be found in men under the age of 50, the majority of cases are diagnosed in men over 50, and the incidence is much higher in men aged 75 and over.

2. Family history – some forms of prostate cancer are hereditary and men who have a brother or father with prostate cancer or a mother or sister with breast cancer are twice as likely to have it.

3. Race – prostate cancer affects all men, however, prostate cancer rates are higher in men of African-Caribbean or African descent and lower in Asian men

4. Obesity – men who are overweight are no more likely to develop prostate cancer although they are more likely to be diagnosed at a later stage of a disease that is more difficult to treat. This is thought to be due to a combination of hormonal factors associated with additional body mass promoting cancer growth.

The obesity link suggests that you can reduce your risk of prostate cancer by eating a balanced diet and regular exercise – factors that promote weight loss.