How to lower your risk of prostate cancer

Know your family history, on both sides. Keep a healthy weight and stay active. Eat plenty of vegetables and less red meat and high-fat dairy. Do not ignore urinary changes: most come from an enlarged prostate, but they should be checked. Talk to a clinician about PSA testing at the right age for you.

Not always. Some risk factors, such as age and family history, cannot be changed, so finding problems early through checks matters as much as healthy habits.

Age, especially from 50. A father, brother or son with prostate cancer. Relatives with breast or ovarian cancer, or BRCA gene changes in the family. Being of African descent, which is why Kenya advises earlier conversations.

Signs worth checking include often no symptoms at all in the early stages; needing to urinate more often, especially at night; a weak flow, straining, or stopping and starting; and feeling that the bladder has not emptied.

Knowing your own risk factors is the first step. The prostate cancer risk assessment asks about 37 questions, including family history of prostate and related cancers, inherited gene changes, past PSA results and the full IPSS urinary symptom score. It tells you whether a PSA test is due for your age and risk. It costs KES 300. A care navigator calls you back within 2 hours (Monday to Saturday, 8am to 8pm) to book what you need at a facility that suits your budget and location.