Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Prostate Cancer
The prostate is a gland that is part of the male reproductive system. A gland is an organ that produces and releases useful substances in the body.
The prostate is located in front of the rectum and very close to the bladder where urine is stored and the seminal vesicles where semen is created.
The prostate gland makes a special liquid that becomes part of semen.
Prostate cancer is a disease that occurs when malignant or harmful cells within the prostate begin to grow and spread abnormally. If undetected early the cancer could spread beyond the prostate to surrounding organs. In its advanced stages, the likelihood of successful treatment is lower.
All men are potentially at risk of getting prostate cancer. But some men are at higher risk than others.
Factors that could increase your risk include:
Age – the older men get, the more vulnerable they are to prostate cancer.
Race – men of African descent are at higher risk than men of other races.
Family history – men are also vulnerable when their father, brother or another close male relative has had the disease.
Weight and diet – men who are obese (very overweight) and men whose diet is high in red meat and low in vegetables and fruits are equally predisposed to the disease.
The signs and symptoms may vary with each individual and the stage of the cancer. However, men with prostate cancer may experience one or more of the following:
- Difficulty starting urination or emptying the bladder completely
- Weak or interrupted urine flow
- Urinating more often than usual especially at night
- Pain or burning sensation while urinating
- Observing blood in urine or semen
- Having pelvic pain
- Experiencing persistent pain in the back and hips
- Painful ejaculation
While these symptoms are not always an indication of cancer, it is advisable to seek medical attention as soon as they are observed.
Prostate cancer is among the “silent cancers”. This means that, for most men, the cancer is usually advanced before the signs and symptoms are seen and felt.
Yes, you can. We conduct several tests.
For early detection and a higher chance of success with treatment, it is essential that all men start screening for signs of the disease at age 50. Men who are at higher risk are advised to begin screening as early as 45 years.
Screening refers to a series of tests and procedures carried out to detect cancer.
We provide the following screenings:
Prostate-Specific Antigen Test or PSA: a blood test that measures the level of PSA in the blood, with high levels indicating the likelihood of cancer, and
Digital Rectal Examination: a clinical examination that we perform to assess the size and consistency of the prostate by touch.
In the case of abnormal results, our doctors may conduct further tests, including:
Prostate Biopsy: the removal of a small cell sample from the prostate gland which is examined under a microscope for features of cancerous cells, and
Ultrasound Scans: which allow us to see and examine a real-time image of the prostate for abnormalities.
When cancer is detected through screenings, we recommend monitoring or treatment, depending on the stage of the cancer.
For men whose cancer is in its early stages and the cell growth is developing very slowly, we prefer to monitor the growth through regular screening in a process known as Active Surveillance. We normally recommend treatment when the cell growth begins to accelerate and / or spread.
Our main treatment methods for prostate cancer are:
- Prostatectomy: a surgical procedure involving the removal of the prostate gland and, in advance stages, surrounding tissues and organs that may be affected,
- Hormone Therapy: the use of medications to reduce the testosterone level in the body if the hormone affects the cancer cell growth, and
- Chemotherapy: the use of medications to weaken and kill the cancer cells.
We refer our patients for Radiation Therapy, which uses high energy rays to kill the cancer cells and prevents them from reforming.
You can reduce your risk considerably by maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle. Among other practices,
- Start screening regularly at 50 years, and 45 years if you are at higher risk
- Eat a balanced diet to boost your immune system – ensure your diet is high in vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts and legumes, and low in red meat and saturated fat
- Reduce excess weight and keep active by engaging in regular physical exercise
- Lower your alcohol intake, and
- Avoid smoking and second hand smoke
If you think that you or somebody you know is at risk of prostate cancer, visit BAFROW Medical Centre today for a screening.
To learn more about prostate cancer and screening services, other cancers, available treatments and other male reproductive health concerns, call us on: +220 3925639, 9925639, 6625639 or 7773500; email us at: info@bafrow.org; or drop in at BAFROW Medical Centre in Serrekunda.
