One in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime

The risk of prostate cancer rises sharply after age 55 and peaks at age 70–74. A cause of concern is that the number of men being diagnosed with late-stage cancer is on the rise, says the Cancer Association of South Africa (Cansa).
With September being Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, it is important to note that data shows that the best chance of curing prostate cancer is if it is diagnosed and treated in the early stages before it has spread.
The five-year survival rate for men diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer is 98 per cent, versus only 30 per cent of men who are diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer, the stage at which cancer has spread through the body.
“Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men and the second most common cause of male death from cancer,” says Professor Shingai Mutam-birwa, head of the Department of Urology at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU) in Pretoria.
Men who have a father or brother with prostate cancer are twice to three times more likely to develop prostate cancer themselves.
There are usually no symptoms in the early stages, which is why screening is so important.
According to Prof. Michael Herbst, a health specialist at Cansa, prostate cancer can no longer be perceived as cancer that only affects older men. “We are now seeing many more younger men, even in their late thirties and early forties, being diagnosed with prostate cancer,” he says, urging men to go for their regular prostate examinations.
Prof. Mutambirwa explains that the problem with prostate cancer is that it is confined to the prostate in the early stages so it takes a long time before there are any symptoms. By the time there are symptoms, the cancer has often spread out of the prostate, making treatment more difficult. This is why annual checks are so vital. These include a digital rectal examination and a PSA test – a blood test that measures the amount of prostate- specific antigen (PSA) in the bloodstream. An elevated reading could indicate the presence of prostate cancer and would require further investigation by a urologist. A prostate biopsy is used to diagnose prostate cancer.
“A PSA blood test at your healthcare practitioner takes a couple of seconds and could potentially save your life,” he says. All men over the age of 45 should be screened annually.
Prof. Herbst says an increase in having to urinate, especially at night, and the urine stream becoming weaker are two symptoms that older men in particular need to be aware of when it comes to possible signs of prostate cancer.
Know the facts and get checked
In helping to bring awareness of both prostate and testicular cancer, Friday 15 October will see brave men in purple speedos take to the streets of their neighbourhoods to run cancer “outa their hoods”.
This year, the Hollard Daredevil Run is going countrywide with a once-off Covid-edition national event that will see participants running alone, with a friend or in a small group of a maximum of five runners. To find out more about the Hollard Daredevil Run 2021, go to www.daredevilrun.com.
For more information, and to find a healthcare professional involved in diagnosing and treating prostate cancer in SA, go to https://prostate-ca.co.za/ or https://cansa.org.za/.