Have you had your prostate checked lately? Leaving it too late can be a matter of life and death.
Are men’s reluctance to see a doctor contributes to high numbers of “advanced-stage” prostate cancer diagnoses?
In general, men tend to avoid doctors as much as possible, and it takes much convincing before they will finally go and see one. Studies suggest that men’s reluctance is one of the reasons why the number of “advanced-stage” prostate cancer diagnoses is on the rise.
But why are men reluctant in the first place? What are the reasons they don’t see a doctor as often as their female counterparts?
In surveys conducted in several countries, many men can’t even remember when they last saw a doctor, and even more, they don’t have a regular (or none at all) general practitioner. Many had never had any preventative tests, including prostate exams or blood tests, blood pressure checks, colonoscopy, diabetes screening and cholesterol measurements, until they were in their 40s.
According to data on the incidence and mortality of prostate cancer in 174 countries, the newly diagnosed prostate cancer was around 1,414,259, and 375,304 related deaths were reported globally in the year 2020.
- 40% were diagnosed when prostate cancer was still in the early pre-invasive stage.
- 60% were diagnosed when cancer has spread beyond the prostate, which means cancer has spread throughout the body (metastatic disease).
What is the prostate?
It is a small gland in the male reproductive system (only found in males) responsible for secreting one of the components of semen located below the urinary bladder. It is in front of the rectum, surrounding the upper part of the urethra — the tube that carries urine from the bladder. The male sex hormone testosterone regulates prostate function. During puberty, the prostate grows fast, but the size of the prostate changes with age.
What is prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer is identified when normal cells in your prostate start growing abnormally. The prostate presents several symptoms once the cancer cell grows. Clinically localised prostate cancer…
