If you feel a lump on your scrotum or pain when touching your genitals, you should immediately visit your nearest health facility to screen for prostate cancer.
The Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute’s (Wits RHI) Mthokozisi Mthethwa said this during a men’s mental health and prostate cancer awareness event in Etwatwa on November 15.
Mthethwa stressed the importance of regular self-screening and annual prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests.
“We’ve realised that most men pick it up when it’s already at an advanced stage, so it’s better to check it now while you still can. Prevention is better than cure. The sooner we find it, the sooner we can treat it,” he said.
The PSA test is a blood diagnosis and manages prostate cancer so the disease can be detected early.
“A mobile clinic or any health facility can do the test. They take your blood and send it to the National Health Laboratory Service. Your results will be back within seven days. If you have it, you will be referred to a specialist.”
He said higher PSA levels don’t mean you have it, but you are at higher risk and may need more testing and observation.
According to the 2019 Cancer Registry, one in 15 men in SA was at risk of suffering from prostate cancer.
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Although men over the age of 40 are said to be at risk of being diagnosed with prostate cancer, Mthethwa encouraged men to do regular screenings and PSA tests in their 30s, adding that early detection greatly improves the success of treatment.
He said some common symptoms include trouble urinating, blood in the urine or semen, unexpected weight loss and inexplicable fevers.
“When doing self-screening observation at home, you might feel lumps or swelling around your genitalia. When you urinate and feel slight pain, this might indicate there is something wrong with your urinary tract. Do regular check-ups because the sooner it’s detected, the sooner it can be treated,” said Mthethwa.
According to the Cancer Association of South Africa, it’s not clear what causes prostate cancer. However, Mthethwa said risk factors include age, ethnicity, family history, obesity, dietary factors, excessive alcohol consumption and lifestyle.
While prostate cancer remains the second most common cancer among men after lung cancer, Mthethwa said there are still many myths surrounding it.
He urged men to seek advice from specialists and healthcare professionals rather than relying on hearsay and information from unreliable sources.
“Charity begins at home. The more you empower yourself with knowledge, the more you know what you need to do.
“When it comes to prostate cancer, it’s mostly genetic. If your parent had it, you are prone as a child or adult to have it. I advise men to do their PSA tests to rule out any chances of having it.”
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