Prostate Cancer: Signs and Tests

May 13, 2026, 17:00
AfricaHealth

Introduction

This report talks about prostate cancer. It looks at the signs of the disease. It also talks about a fight between doctors and the government about tests.

Main Body

Prostate cancer often has no signs at first. Later, men may have trouble peeing. Some men lose weight or feel pain in their back. Men over 50 and Black men have a higher risk. People who eat too much fat also have a higher risk. In New Zealand, some people want a big test program for all men. They say this will save 700 lives every year. They want the government to pay for these tests. But the Ministry of Health says no. They say the tests can be wrong. These wrong tests make men worry. They also lead to doctors doing surgery that men do not need.

Conclusion

Doctors want to find the cancer early. But the government is not sure if the tests are safe for everyone.

Learning

🧩 The 'High Risk' Pattern

In the text, we see words like "higher risk." This is a very useful way to talk about health or danger in English.

How it works:

  • Risk = A chance that something bad happens.
  • Higher = More than someone else.

Examples from the text:

  • Men over 50 β†’\rightarrow Higher risk.
  • Eating too much fat β†’\rightarrow Higher risk.

πŸ’‘ Simple Word Swaps

To reach A2, you can change a sentence to make it stronger or softer by changing one word:

  1. "Some men lose weight" (They don't have it anymore).
  2. "Some men feel pain" (This is how it feels inside).

Quick Tip: Use "feel" for emotions and physical pain (I feel sad / I feel pain). Use "lose" when something goes away (lose weight / lose keys).

Vocabulary Learning

signs (n.)
things that show something is happening or will happen
Example:The doctor looked for signs of infection in the wound.
trouble (n.)
difficulty or a problem
Example:She had trouble finding her keys.
weight (n.)
the amount of heaviness of something
Example:He lost a lot of weight after starting a new diet.
pain (n.)
an unpleasant feeling in the body
Example:She felt pain in her lower back.
risk (n.)
the chance that something bad could happen
Example:Smoking increases the risk of heart disease.
eat (v.)
to consume food
Example:I eat breakfast every morning.
fat (n.)
a type of food that has a lot of calories
Example:She avoided eating too much fat.
save (v.)
to keep something safe or to prevent loss
Example:You can save money by buying in bulk.
pay (v.)
to give money for something
Example:They will pay for the test at the hospital.
wrong (adj.)
not correct or mistaken
Example:The test results were wrong.
worry (v.)
to feel anxious about something
Example:He worries about his exam.
early (adj.)
before the usual or expected time
Example:We need to find the problem early.