Prostate cancer awareness

SEPTEMBER is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month and men are being encouraged to do their prostate checks.

After age 40, men should make it their point of duty to do their prostate screens every year, up to age 75, as prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers found in men worldwide, and locally it is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men.

What’s worse is that it is the leading cause of male-related cancer deaths, and the black population has the highest rate of diagnosis of prostate cancer.

According to urologist Dr Gareth Reid, in black men it has been shown that the prostate cancers diagnosed can be more aggressive and the long-term outcome, even with treatment, is worse than in the Caucasian population.

Importantly, Dr Reid said when prostate cancer is in its early stages and confined to the prostate, there are no symptoms and only consistent checks would reveal a problem.

When the cancer gets out of control, apart from unbearable pain, it can affect a man’s sexual relations and can lead to issues like paralysis, erectile dysfunction, incontinence, or the passage of blood in the urine when it becomes very advanced and can’t be cured. At that stage only hormonal therapy can be used to treat it. However, this has significant side effects such as cardiovascular health and heart problems, weaker bones, hot flashes similar to menopause, and the possibility of gynaecomastia — enlarged breasts.

Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. To avoid the consequences of a curable cancer like prostate cancer getting out of control, it is important to do the tests, which involve a yearly rectal examination as well as a blood test called the prostate specific antigen (PSA). If diagnosed early, prostate cancer can be cured using surgery or radiation.