Cancer is probably one of the diseases with the most misconceptions.
Not understand the disease can and often does lead to patients avoiding diagnosis and treatment out of ignorance and fear.
Men as a group tend to avoid dealing with prostate cancer because of numerous myths.
The biggest fear and Myth #1 is that prostate cancer always causes impotence and incontinence.
Erectile dysfunction and incontinence are possible side effects following treatment, but it is not true that all men experience these side effects.
Even if these conditions do occur, there are numerous therapies that can aid in recovery.
Myth #2 is that vasectomies increase the chance of cancer.
Using the possibility of cancer to avoid a vasectomy is complete invalid.
Studies have shown no increase in risk for men who have undergone a vasectomy Myth #3 is that cancer is a disease that only affects old men.
It is true that the disease is more common with increasing age, it can be found in men of all ages.
There is an increase in diagnoses of cancer in men in their 40s.
Myth #4, prostate cancer rarely kills.
Unfortunately prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men in the US.
The good news is that if it is diagnosed early, there is a high rate of recovery.
Myth #5 If you don't have any symptoms, then you don't have cancer.
This one is especially dangerous, because prostate cancer can be detected and treated long before any symptoms appear.
Waiting until the most noticeable symptoms appear is dangerous because you risk waiting until the cancer is in the later stages and more difficult to treat and cure.
The PSA test is commonly used for screening prostate cancer.
Myth #6 If my PSA level is low, there is no need for a digital rectal exam.
Low PSA does not rule out cancer and a digital rectal exam is the only way for a doctor to physically exam the prostate gland.
Myth #7 Prostate cancer rates in the US are rapidly climbing.
Studies have shown that prostate cancer rates have remained static over the past decade.