Prostate Screening Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK. Every year 35,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer. Around 10,000 men die every year from prostate cancer. The earlier it is detected the better the prognosis. Some Questions and Answers about your prostate Where is the prostate gland? The prostate is the shape and size of a walnut and sits underneath the bladder. It surrounds the urethra which is the tube that you pass urine and semen through. Which is why if something goes wrong with the prostate gland it can cause problems with the waterworks. What does the prostate do? The prostate gland is important to men's sexual function. The glands main jobs are to support the neck of the bladder and to make up some of the fluid of semen. How do I know if I have prostate cancer? Whilst many men with early prostate cancer will not have any symptoms at all, the following symptoms may be a sign of a prostate problem, These symptoms can be caused by other non-cancerous problems so it is important to share them with your GP or WellCare doctor. Need to urinate more often, especially at night Need to rush to the toilet, you may even leak urine sometimes Difficulty in starting and taking a long time to finish urinating A weak flow Dribbling Feeling that your bladder hasn't emptied properly Who is at risk? Most men diagnosed with prostate cancer are over the age of 50. What tests are available and do I need an examination? If you experience any of the above symptoms or are over 50 you should consider or be considering a test called Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) to check the state of your prostate. This is a simple blood test that measures the levels of PSA released into the blood by your prostate. A raised PSA level can be an early warning of prostate cancer. You do not require an internal examination to have your PSA measured. What happens if my PSA level is raised? Depending by how much your PSA level is raised you would either be asked to have it repeated in 3 to 6 months or referred to a urologist for a biopsy (this is when a sample of your prostate is taken to be looked at under a microscope) to see if cancerous cells are present. If cancerous cells are present what happens then? If the biopsy is positive (cancerous cells are present) the urologist will then start your treatment and care plan. If the biopsy is negative, does that mean I don't have cancer? When you have a biopsy a small piece of the prostate is taken for examination under the microscope. Sometimes the biopsy for this may miss a tumour. To be more certain that there are no cancerous cells present in the whole prostate gland there is a new test available that involves a rectal examination and a urine test. This test is called PCA3. When else might I have a PCA3 test? The PCA3 test looks at the mRNA of cancer cells and is recommended when a prostate biopsy has been negative or inconclusive. WellCare also recommends it when the PSA is "suspiciously high" or the prostate appears abnormal on examination or if there is a strong family history of prostate cancer. How can I get a PSA test or a PCA3 test? WellCare can offer both tests at our clinics.* For more information about these tests please call WellCare on 01225 312 040 where our patient service advisers will be able to help you. You do not require a doctor referral to attend WellCare. Useful website: www.prostate-cancer.org.uk   *Please note both tests may not be available at all our clinics, our patient service advisers will be able to advise you.