To highlight Urology Awareness Month (September), the Public Health Agency (PHA) has urged people to be aware of the signs and symptoms of cancers relating to the urinary and reproductive systems including bladder, kidney, prostate and testicular cancer.

Dr Louise Herron, Consultant in Service Development and Screening at the PHA said: "It's important to be aware of the signs and symptoms of cancer relating to the urinary and reproductive systems. Some are more common than others and risk will depend on your age and stage of life. Spotting cancer early could make a huge difference. The earlier a cancer is picked up, the easier it is to treat it and the more likely the treatment is to be successful."

Bladder cancer

Bladder cancer affects men and women, although it is more common in men and more common in those aged over 50.

Signs and symptoms include:

• needing to pee very often;

• needing to pee very suddenly;

• pain when passing urine.

Kidney cancer

Kidney cancer is more common in men than women. Around 3 out of 4 people who are diagnosed with kidney cancer are aged 60 or older.

Signs and symptoms include:

• tiredness;

• loss of appetite;

• weight loss;

• a high temperature and very heavy sweating;

• a pain in the side (below the ribs) that won't go away;

• a general feeling of poor health.

Prostate cancer

Men under 50 have a very low risk of prostate cancer, but their risk increases as they get older. Age is the strongest risk factor for prostate cancer.

The symptoms of both benign enlargement of the prostate gland and malignant tumours (cancer) are similar and can include any of the following:

• difficulty passing urine;

• needing to pee very often, especially at night;

• needing to pee very suddenly;

• pain when passing urine;

• blood in the urine.

Testicular cancer

Testicular cancer usually affects young or middle-aged men. Treatment for testicular cancer is very effective and nearly all men are cured.

Signs and symptoms include:

• swelling or a lump in a testicle, which is usually painless - occasionally the swelling may suddenly increase in size and become painful;

• a dull ache or pain, or heaviness in the scrotum.

If the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes or other parts of the body, there may be some of the following symptoms:

• Pain in the back, groin, or lower abdomen - this can be caused by the spread of the cancer to lymph nodes in the back of the abdomen.

• A cough, breathlessness or difficulty swallowing if lymph nodes in the chest area are affected. Rarely, if the cancer has spread to the lungs, coughing and breathlessness may be the main symptoms.

• Nipple/breast tenderness or breast swelling (gynaecomastia) - this isn't common but can be caused by hormones produced by the cancer.

Dr Herron concluded: "You could experience some or all of these symptoms and it may not be anything serious, but if you've experienced any of these symptoms for three weeks or more or have any concerns at all, it's important to contact your GP because finding cancer early can improve the chances of successful treatment."

For more information on the signs and symptoms of cancers relating to the urinary and reproductive systems, visit: www.becancerawareni.info