BLUE NOVEMBER IS TIME TO FIGHT AGAINTS PROSTATE CANCER

Prostate cancer, the most common type among men, is the cause of death for 28.6% of the male population who develop malignant neoplasms. In Brazil, a man dies every 38 minutes due to prostate cancer, according to the latest data from the National Cancer Institute (Inca).
What is the prostate?
It is a gland of the male reproductive system, which weighs about 20 grams, and resembles a chestnut. It is located below the bladder and its main function, together with the seminal vesicles, is to produce sperm.

Diagnosis

The only way to guarantee a cure for prostate cancer is early diagnosis. Even in the absence of symptoms, men over the age of 45 with risk factors, or 50 years without these factors, should go to the urologist to talk about the digital rectal exam, which allows the doctor to assess changes in the gland, such as hardening and presence suspicious nodules, and on the PSA blood test (prostate specific antigen). About 20% of patients with prostate cancer are diagnosed only by alteration in digital rectal examination. Further tests may be ordered if prostate cancer is suspected.

The indication of the best form of treatment will depend on several aspects, such as current health status, staging of the disease and life expectancy. In cases of tumors of low aggressiveness, there is the option of active surveillance, which periodically monitors the evolution of the disease, intervening if it progresses.

Treatments 

Symptoms 

In the initial stage, prostate cancer has no symptoms and when some signs start to appear, about 95% of the tumors are already in an advanced stage, making healing difficult. In the advanced stage, the symptoms are:

Risk Factors

• Family history of prostate cancer: father, brother and uncle;
• Race: black men suffer a higher incidence of this type of cancer;
• Obesity.

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