Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in Nigeria. Unfortunately, up to 80% of men get diagnosed late. This leads to low success with their treatment. Ergo, prostate cancer is the leading killer cancer in Nigerian men.
How Can Prostate Cancer Be Detected Early?
Some symptoms of prostate cancer include difficulty passing urine, blood in urine, weight loss and low back pain
If you observe any of these symptoms, you should go to the hospital to get it checked out. Although, it may not be prostate cancer, you can never be too careful.
These symptoms could also mean prostate enlargement called BPH – Benign Prostate Hyperplasia.
Whether you have symptoms or not, the tests below are vital in screening for prostate cancer. They include:
PSA
Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) is a blood test done in a lab to measure the level of PSA in the body. PSA is produced by cells in the prostate, and it is often elevated in men with prostate cancer. It can also be high in prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate gland) or BPH.
PSA tests are valuable in screening for prostate cancer, especially in men with high risk like African males, or men with a father or brother with prostate cancer.
Digital Rectal Examination
This is a clinical procedure in which a doctor examines a man’s prostate by putting a gloved and lubricated finger in the anal canal. It can be uncomfortable, but it is approved for use alongside the PSA test to screen for prostate cancer.
If you are a man above 50, you will benefit from being screened for prostate cancer, especially if you have a high risk of developing the disease.
You can read about BPH here, and about prostate cancer here.
Doktorconnect
