Constantly using the bathroom overnight has now been linked to an aggressive form of prostate cancer, with experts warning that the habit might not seem as innocent as you might think.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, waking up to urinate throughout the night is linked to the condition Nocturia, which can be seen as a sign of the disease.
Around 25 per cent of prostate cancer cases have reported suffering with serious cases of Nocturia. According to research the condition can also be a side effect of radiation treatment.
The constant urge to urinate during the night can be caused by a tumour growing rapidly in size and pushing against the urethra, as we previously reported.
The Cleveland Clinic says: “This can be thought of as nocturnal urinary frequency – having to urinate more often at night.”
If you are experiencing systems of Nocturia you should seek medical advice promptly, as it is more frequently observed in the later stages of prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer more than often can go unnoticed by the person, due to the lack of noticeable signs until the cancer has progressed.
The NHS says: “Prostate cancer does not usually cause any symptoms until the cancer has grown large enough to put pressure on the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the penis. Symptoms of prostate cancer can include needing to pee more frequently, often during the night.”
Due to the lack of obvious symptoms, early warning signs can be difficult to look out for.
Prostate Cancer UK have advised if you are 50 years old or over, your close relatives have suffered with the disease, or you are black, you should talk to your GP.
During to the Covid pandemic cancer screening rates declined, raising concerns about potential impacts on cancer survival in the years ahead.
Prostate cancer is frequently labelled as “aggressive” because it can spread quickly to nearby lymph nodes and other organs in the body if untreated, making it the second most common form of cancer in men in the UK, following skin cancer.
An oncologist with the Harvard-affiliated Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Doctor Bradly McGregor, said: “The same dietary habits that can lower your risk of prostate cancer can have a similar effect to perhaps slowing its spread. So, no matter where you are in terms of prostate cancer – from monitoring PSA levels to treating a diagnosis – take the opportunity now to get serious about your diet.”
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