GLOBALLY, prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men aged 50 years plus. Some researchers put it at 45 and beyond. A good number of elderly men had been confined to the sick bed by the disease because it is an affliction that slowly takes its toll over the years on its victim. It is a destructive (malignant) tumour of the prostate gland, the organ located between the penis and bladder that produces seminal fluid through which sperm is transported. The end game is death of the victim.
Prostate cancer is different from prostate enlargement, a less harmful health condition among men, that medical scientists describe as benign. It is simply the enlargement or increase in size of the prostate gland, thereby compressing the urethra, which is the pipe that conducts urine from the bladder to the penis. This is manageable.
There are fears that prostate enlargement can lead to prostate cancer but medical experts say it is less likely. “The risk of prostate cancer is no greater for men with enlarged prostate than it is for men without enlarged prostate.” However, both diseases present similar symptoms, which include but not limited to frequent urination especially at night, pain during urination or ejaculation, difficulty emptying the bladder, blood in the urine or semen, and difficulty getting an erection.
It is indicated that prostate cancer afflicts one out of every seven men, which is why it is empirically confirmed as the most common cancer among men. The figure could be higher in developing countries including Nigeria because of the low level of health care and enlightenment. Fortunately, advances in medical care are getting to less advantaged regions of the world.
The impact of prostate cancer on the victim, family and society could be devastating. For the individual, it leads to embarrassing urine retention and leakage, bladder stones and infections, uncontrolled urge to pee and kidney damage. It could also cause death. It constitutes huge financial cost to treat, draining the purse of victim and family. Furthermore, the services of victims to the society are completely lost.
The good news, however, is that medics provide simple tips for better prostate health management, which include maintaining healthy body weight, exercising regularly, consuming more vegetables and fruits, and drinking plenty of water. Additionally, men are advised to reduce consumption of red meat, avoid smoking, minimize alcohol consumption and enlist for prostate screening.
Interestingly, according to medical research, prostate cancer can be curable if detected in time and treated early. This is why doctors recommend screening tests from the age of 45 years to determine prostate health. For instance, prostate-specific antigen or PSA is a test that looks for signs of prostate cancer. Doctors opine that the screening can help identify cancer early, when treatment is most effective. Late detection of the cancer could be very expensive to treat. Of course, it could be fatal as well.
As concerned citizens, we advocate intensive prostate cancer awareness campaign throughout the country to sensitize men on the inherent dangers associated with the dreaded disease. It’s our position that it should be prioritized by the federal and state governments, using all available media of communication to spread the message and possibly translate such into local languages. The 774 local governments should also be involved in the advocacy project. Such massive media project, we believe, would significantly contribute to a much healthier prostate condition of Nigerian men and minimize the incidence of prostate cancer nationwide.
