Article on Prostate Cancer by Dr. Shameer Hameed , Specialist Urologist

50 year old gentleman, asked me; “Doctor, what are the possibilities for me to have prostatic malignancy? My father was diagnosed with prostatic malignancy when he was 72 and we couldn’t do much after that. Are there any ways to detect it early?” Prostate cancer is second onlyto skin cancer in men with regards to numbers. It is probably one of the most common leading causes of cancer death among men. Approximately 4,500 new cases of cancer are reported in a year in the UAE and the country aims to bring down cancer fatalities by nearly 18 per cent by 2021. Who should be worried about? There are certain modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors. Risk factors for prostate cancer include: • Age. Approximately 60 percent of all prostate cancer diagnoses occur in males aged 65 or older. • Genetics. The highest rates of prostate cancer occur in African-American men, followed by men who are Caucasian, Hispanic, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Asian, respectively. • Diet. A diet rich in fat and low in fruits and vegetables increases the risk of prostate cancer. • Environment. Exposure to some industrial chemicals also increases this risk. • Family history.Prostate cancer run in some families, which suggests that in some cases there may be an inherited or genetic factor. Still, most prostate cancers occur in men without a family history of itHaving a father or brother with prostate cancer more than doubles a man’s risk of developing this disease. Regular testing is crucial as the cancer needs to be diagnosed before metastasis. Prostate cancer can be found early using a simple blood test and digital rectal examination but it’s not clear if the benefits of testing all men for prostate cancer outweigh the risks, such as finding and treating cancers that probably never would have caused any problems. Because of this, it’s important to talk to the doctor about the uncertainties, risks, and potential benefits of prostate cancer screening before deciding whether or not to be tested. The most significant challenge for medical professionals is late detection and treatment. When the cancer is localised to the prostate, it is curable. Once it spreads, it becomes difficult to cure and treat.