Prostate cancer is the first most common cancer in men and the second most common cause of cancer death (after lung cancer) in men in Cyprus, the association of cancer patients and friends (Pasykaf) said on Monday.
Citing the national cancer registry, it specified 585 new cases per year have been recorded in recent years. Pasykaf’s press release comes as part of a campaign for prostate cancer awareness and the effectiveness of prevention and early diagnosis.
The association underlines that prevention and early detection are based on a simple blood test, which can help identify prostate cancer at an early stage. This test measures the amount of prostate specific antigen (PSA) in the blood.
PSA is a prostate protein that occurs in small amounts in men’s blood normally.
Studies have shown that the test is not necessary under the age of 50, since prostate cancer is rare in younger men and only if a first-degree relative (father, brother or parents’ siblings) has been diagnosed with prostate cancer does PSA testing make sense in ages between 40-50.
Screening should be done regardless of symptoms, since, cancer usually develops slowly, without causing symptoms that lead to the doctor’s visit, Pasykaf said.
Problems urinating, blood in the urine or semen, pain in the lower back, hips and chest, weakness or numbness in the legs, loss of bladder or bowel control, are early symptoms of prostate cancer.
Sporadic lower back pain and an increased and often sudden need to urinate are common symptoms of advanced age. However, when the pain persists and urination becomes increasingly difficult, the problem may not only be related to age. The cause of prostate cancer remains largely unknown, and many people have no symptoms in the early stages of the disease.
The main risk factors for prostate cancer are old age, family history, a diet high in animal fat and dairy products, and high levels of testosterone in the blood.
Some forms of prostate cancer can be aggressive and metastasize rapidly. However, if detected in time, it has very good prospects for effective treatment. It is considered a slow-growing disease and many men who are diagnosed live for many years without symptoms and without it spreading and becoming life-threatening.
