Prostate Cancer: Experts Advise Regular Screening

Medical experts
have advised men above the age of 30 to go for routine screening of their prostate for early detection of infectious diseases or cancer.
Dr Clement Okafor of Steel Hospital and Maternity, Udeakpu, Onitsha and Dr Chidi Nwokolo of His Grace Specialist Hospital, Onitsha gave the advice in separate interviews with our correspondent recently.
They said that the advice became necessary following series of prostate cancer cases reported in hospitals across the area.
Okafor said that most men did not go for routine screening until the situation deteriorates.
“This accounts for some deaths among men due to lack of information that they can get help at the early stage.
“Early detection through routine check up is paramount in the treatment of prostate diseases or prostate cancer,” Okafor said.
The physician, who explained that there were no obvious aggravating cause of prostate cancer, pointed out that infection in the prostrate and poorly treated sexually transmitted diseases could cause the disease.
“Nigeria has advanced in diagnosis medicine including prostate cancer with specialised equipment that made diagnosis easier.
“Men above 30 should go for routine check up to ascertain their status when they get symptoms like inflammation of the prostrate, frequent urine or blockage of urinary outlet,” Okafor said.
Also speaking, Nwokolo, a urologist, explained that prostate cancer was a cancerous growth of the tissue in the prostate.
“It is more common among black men than white men; it runs in families.
“Its symptoms resemble or are indistinguishable from the symptoms of the benign prostatic enlargement or hypertrophy,” he said.
Nwokolo explained that the symptoms of the disease might include obstruction of the urinary passage, difficulty in passing urine, frequency in passing urine especially at night, blood in urine and pain in passing urine.
According to him, late symptoms may include low back ache, pain in the bone, coughing out blood and brain symptoms.
“After assessment by a neurologist, it may be necessary to do biopsy to prove that it is really cancer and where it proves to be cancer, the treatment is determined by the doctor concerned.
“Treatment may involve radio therapy, removal of the testicles and the use of drug especially female hormones.
“We advocate that men embark on routine screening because prostate cancer appears earlier than benign prostatic, so if anybody starts having urinary problem, the person could get treated early,” Nwokolo said.