PEOPLE have been urged not to deny potential symptoms of cancer as delay in seeking treatment could worsen the condition.
An attitude of denial common among patients is the main obstacle in fighting the rising incidence of prostate cancer, a Bahraini medic has said.
The Bahrain Cancer Society (BCS) is attempting to break this barrier by launching a campaign to educate men on the disease – the third most common cancer among males in the country.
The activities include educational sessions, distribution of flyers and materials highlighting the need for early detection alongside fundraising for cancer care in the country.
BCS board chairman Dr Abdulrahman Fakhro urged men aged 50 and above to get themselves checked, citing the condition as a ‘silent disease’.
“Men should be aware that prostate cancer is mostly asymptomatic,” he said.
“Benign prostate cancer is common and what people need to understand is that the condition is not deadly.
“Early detection can help in speedy recovery and most important factor is awareness. Unfortunately, there is a lot of denial in the community.
“This is the main reason the numbers are on the rise.”
Dr Fakhro was speaking to the GDN on the occasion of International Men’s Day today.
Prostate cancer occurs in the small walnut-shaped gland in males that produces the seminal fluid that nourishes and transports sperm.
According to BCS statistics, prostate cancer accounts for 8.1 per cent of all cancers in males in the country. Men need to do a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test, the result of which should be in the range of four.
The GDN reported earlier that an estimated 30 men in Bahrain are diagnosed with prostate cancer annually – making it the third highest risk factor for males.
Experts have been calling for more awareness drives and screening programmes to tackle the condition, which represents almost 10pc of all tumours in men annually.
“In Bahrain, on average, there are about 14 incidents in every 100,000 population,” said Dr Fakhro.
Dr Fakhro
“The reasons behind the cancer remains unknown, while there are many theories.
“Some prostate cancers can grow and spread quickly, but in most cases the progression is slow.
“In fact, autopsy studies show that many older men (and even some younger men) who died of other diseases also had prostate cancer that never affected them during their lives.
“In many cases, neither the patients nor their doctors even knew about it.
“But we urge men not to deny the symptoms or refuse to get screened – it can get serious once it spreads to the bones.”
The King Hamad University Hospital (KHUH) said in July that it was planning to procure a nuclear medicine which could revolutionise the treatment of prostate cancer. The radioactive drug, administered intravenously, will target cancer cells and destroy them without hurting the surrounding tissue.
Figures released by the International Agency for Research on Cancer Globocan, a subsidiary of the World Health Organisation, last year show that men are most at risk of colorectal cancer followed by lung cancer.
According to the agency, of the 572 cases of cancer among men of all ages in Bahrain, 83 (14.5pc) were colorectal, followed by 65 (11.40pc) lung cancer and 51 (8.9pc) prostate cancer.
A coffee mug on sale at the BCS marking Movember
A Movember collectible on sale at the BCS
The BCS has also launched a sale of light-blue memorabilia – the colour marking prostate cancer, this November – often referred to as Movember in solidarity with men’s health. Items on sale include silicon bracelets, ribbon pins, coffee mugs, nickels with charms and stress balls, priced BD1 and B2. They are available at the BCS in Adliya or SAKS at City Centre Bahrain.
In 2018 alone, approximately 359,000 people across the globe died of prostate cancer with the number forecast to increase to 740,000 by 2040 due to a growth in ageing population.
General signs and symptoms of advanced prostate cancer are:
- Problems passing urine, including a slow or weak urinary stream or the need to urinate more often, especially at night.
- Blood in urine (hematuria)
- Impotence
- Pain in the hips, back (spine), chest (ribs), or other areas from cancer spreading to bones
- Weakness or numbness in legs or feet, or even loss of bladder or bowel control from cancer pressing on the spinal cord.
Causes and risk factors for prostate cancer:
- Genetics (heredity)
- Age
- Smoking
- Family history
- High saturated high diet
- Obesity
- Exposure to toxic substances at work places
How to reduce the risk:
- Stay away from tobacco
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Regular physical activity
- Eat healthy with plenty of fruit and vegetables
- Limit alcohol consumption
- Know the family history, and personal risks
- Have regular check-ups and cancer screening tests.
raji@gdn.com.bh
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