Outlander star Colin McFarlane has revealed that he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
One of the biggest killers of men across the UK, prostate cancer sees one man die of the disease every 45 minutes across the country.
British actor Colin, who is known for his roles in BBC's Doctor Who, The Dark Knight and Outlander, revealed that he has been diagnosed with the condition just nine months after his brother was told he had the disease.
The 61-year-old shared the news on Monday morning, and said that he was "one of the lucky ones" as it had been diagnosed early on enough to not require any treatment.
In Scotland alone, more than 3,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year, and approximately 1,000 men die of the disease each year across the country, according to Prostate Cancer UK.
Prostate cancer is a type of cancer that develops when cells in the prostate start to grow in an uncontrolled way.
Some prostate cancer grows too slowly to cause any problems or affect how long people live, so many people who live with the disease may never require treatment.
However, according to Prostate Cancer UK, it can also grow quickly, which is more likely to cause problems and need treatment to stop it spreading.
The prostate is a small gland in the pelvis and is part of the male reproductive system. It is around the size of a walnut, and can become swollen when cancer develops.
Typically, prostate cancer doesn't show any signs or symptoms until the cells have grown to the point where the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the penis (urethra) is affected.
When this happens, men may notice little-known signs of the disease such as:
- an increased need to pee
- straining while you pee
- a feeling that your bladder has not fully emptied
These symptoms should not be ignored, but according to the NHS website, they do not mean you have prostate cancer.
The main symptoms of prostate cancer are:
- 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
Certain men are more at risk of developing prostate cancer, particularly those aged 50 or older.
For reasons not yet understood, prostate cancer is more common in black men and less common in Asian men. Those with male relatives who were affected by prostate cancer are at slightly increased risk themselves.
Recent research also suggests that obesity increases the risk of prostate cancer.
If you are worried about a change that could suggest the sign of prostate cancer, you should contact your GP straight away who can organise for tests to be carried out.
There is no single test used specifically to signify prostate cancer, but the most commonly used tests for prostate cancer are:
- blood tests
- a physical examination of your prostate - known as a digital rectal examination, or DRE
- an MRI scan
- a biopsy
For more information, visit the Prostate Cancer UK website or the NHS website for further details and support.
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