You may notice this month that some of your friendly neighbourhood SRMG docs are cultivating some interesting facial fittings. Movember has begun, which means it’s time to raise awareness about some men’s health issues, and today we’re focusing on Prostate Cancer.
The words strike dread into even the heartiest men. Some because of the condition itself, but many because of the examination it brings to mind. Unfortunately, ignoring the risk is about the worst way to manage any health issue, so let’s wrap our heads around some facts.
Who’s at risk for prostate cancer?
The three main risk factors for prostate cancer are being male, getting older, and having a family history. Unfortunately these are things we can’t do much about, and are referred to as ‘non-modifiable risk factors’.
There’s a little bit of evidence that suggests things like diet might play a role as well, but we don’t have enough information on that to make any solid recommendations. Because we can’t change much about the risks, awareness and early diagnosis remain our best weapons.
What are the symptoms and signs?
Most malignant (cancerous) processes have some similar symptoms – unintentional weight loss, night sweats, low energy, unusual bone pains. The other cluster of symptoms that can (but don’t always) occur are those that involve urinary tract obstruction – difficulty starting and maintaining a steady stream of urine, dribbling, excessive urination at night, frequent urge to urinate, and leaking. If you have any of these symptoms, it may just mean you have a bulky prostate (a very common condition called benign prostate hypertrophy, or BPH), but its best to err on the safe side and see your doctor.
How do we screen for and diagnose prostate cancer?
There’s been some disagreement over the years regarding if and how we screen for prostate cancer. We have a useful blood test called prostate specific antigen, or PSA. This will pick up most cases of prostate cancer, if tested at the right time. The problem is that this marker can often be elevated in conditions like BPH, or with certain types of infection. Because of this, we often need to send people for more testing in consultation with a urologist.
The long and short of it is this: If we screen everyone, we do a lot of unnecessary testing and some men encounter complications due to testing. If we don’t screen anyone, we miss cases of prostate cancer. Its something of a catch 22, and usually we suggest you discuss it with your GP to see what’s right for you.
So all you gents out there with risk factors or symptoms, ignore that voice in your head that says “she’ll be right”, and book an appointment with your friendly, moustachioed SRMG doctor.
Everyone else, feel free to throw us a line if you have any questions, or donate to the SRMG Movember team and support men’s health this November.
This article has been written by Dr Jared Coyne
