Not knowing what symptoms to look out for or how to be tested to check if there is a problem could literally, in the case of prostate cancer, be the death of you.

What is the prostate?

The prostate is a gland that is normally the size of a walnut. It is located close to the base of the bladder, in front of the rectum. It produces fluids that nourish and protect sperm and which are an important ingredient in semen.

The prostate gland is wrapped around the urethra, which is the tube that carries urine out of the bladder. Because of its location it is difficult to examine the prostate directly.

All men's prostate glands get bigger as they get older. Your prostate will probably start to enlarge when you are in your 40s and will continue to do so for the rest of your life. This is the cause of the condition known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).