Know your prostate cancer status with a simple blood test

Prostate cancer affects one in six South African men. While most common in men over the age of 50, it is not unheard of for men to be diagnosed in their 20s.

It is so prevalent that, theoretically, two men in every rugby team or one man in every soccer team will have it.

If detected early, prostate cancer has a 98% survival rate. This falls to 26% if detected in later stages when symptoms finally start to surface. Few men experience early-stage prostate cancer symptoms and even fewer talk to their doctors or go for regular screenings.

Early detection is key and starts with a simple blood test from the age of 40, especially if you are of African descent or have a family history of prostate cancer. A Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test can determine your level of PSA – a protein produced by normal and cancerous prostate cells. PSA levels tend to rise when there’s a problem with your prostate health, including the development and growth of prostate cancer.

PSA testing can detect early-stage prostate cancer and spare men with low-risk prostate cancer from intrusive tests and procedures. Scientists believe that this simple blood test can prevent up to 70% of potentially painful and unnecessary biopsies.

Ignorance isn’t bliss, especially when it comes to your health and quality of life. Keep it simple with one yearly check-up and a closer eye on the following symptoms:

• A frequent need to urinate
• Painful or burning urination
• A weak or interrupted flow of urine
• Difficulty starting or stopping urination
• Difficulty in having an erection
• Painful ejaculation
• Blood in the urine or semen
• Pain in the lower back, hips or upper thighs

RISK FACTORS
Although the exact cause of prostate cancer is unknown, there are certain aspects of life that may increase your chance of having prostate cancer or developing a more aggressive form of the disease.

These include:

• Age: Prostate cancer occurs more often in older men. After the age of 50, your risk is rapidly increased. Below the age of 45, prostate cancer is rare.
• Family history: Genetic predisposition may increase prostate cancer risk. Men who have a first-degree relative (father or brother) with prostate cancer have twice the risk of developing the disease, and those with two first-degree relatives affected have a fivefold greater risk compared to men with no family history.
• Diet: Having a healthy lifestyle can reduce your chance of developing many diseases. It’s been shown that a high fat intake (too much fast, snack or fried food, and baked goods), a high red meat intake (more than 300 grams of meat 4 times a week or more), and a diet low in vegetables is linked to a greater chance of having prostate cancer.
• Other lifestyle factors: Obesity, lack of physical exercise and smoking increase chances of prostate cancer.
• Alcohol intake: Having more than 2 standard sized alcoholic drinks per day is another risk factor for prostate cancer. A standard drink is 340ml of beer, 120ml of wine, 25ml of spirits or 50ml of sherry.

DIAGNOSIS
There’s a lot of fear around prostate cancer diagnosis, but diagnosis is the first step in treating and managing the disease.

Here are the various procedures available to move towards an accurate diagnosis:

1. Digital Rectal Examination
   Once you’ve visited your doctor and they have a clear idea of your symptoms, they will likely perform a digital rectal examination, in order to feel the prostate through the wall of the rectum. This allows your doctor to determine whether there are any lumps or abnormalities in the prostate. A digital rectal examination is conducted by inserting a lubricated, gloved finger into the rectum
2. Other initial tests
   During your first visit to the doctor you can also expect to give a urine sample in order to check for blood in the urine. Your doctor will also want to measure your Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) level. This is done via a blood test.
   Both the digital rectal examination and PSA test allow your doctor to identify whether there’s a problem with the prostate. If a problem is detected, further tests will need to be carried out to determine if cancer is present.

Getting tested once a year can make all the difference in the world. Visit Here4You for essential information and hope at every stage of prostate cancer.

Important to note: It’s a common misconception that having a vasectomy increases your chance of developing prostate cancer – this isn’t true.

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