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HEALTHY REASONING: Prostate Cancer Screening Can Save Your Life

HEALTHY REASONING: Prostate Cancer Screening Can Save Your Life

Allan GBy Allan Bucka Jones

PRIDE Health Columnist

 

One in eight men in Canada is affected by prostate cancer. Black men have even higher rates.

All men are born with a prostate gland. The prostate gland, normally the size of a walnut, is a part of the male reproductive system. Its function is to add nutrients and fluid to sperm. It is located below the bladder, in front of the rectum, and surrounds the urethra. The urethra is the tube that runs through the middle of the penis, and carries urine and semen.

Because the prostate gland surrounds the urethra, any increase in size of the urethra will have a tendency to press on the urethra and can potentially restrict urine flow. When urine flow is restricted it eventually makes the bladder extremely sensitive, and will sometimes give the sensation that it is full. You now get the urge to urinate, only to realize you will only eliminate a small volume of urine.

The prostate gland in men, transition from a quiet non-growing gland, to a problematic growing gland at around age 50. An enlarged prostate can cause a man to have frequent and urgent need to urinate. This enlarged prostate is referred to as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The benign description means BPH is not cancerous. A man with BPH will not necessarily develop prostate cancer.

For all men 45 years old and more, screening for prostate cancer is vital because once detected, 90% of prostate cancer cases are treatable. The screening process, which includes a prostate gland examination and a blood test, should be part of a man’s annual check-up.

When it comes to addressing issues below the belt, many men are reluctant to address them for many reasons, a chief one being impotence, (the inability to get an erection). So many men walk around with the potential of prostate cancer, but are afraid to have it confirmed by a doctor. They know that if surgery is necessary to remove a diseased prostate gland, there is a great chance that the man will never have an erection again.

The man may become impotent, but at least he is alive. Sex is still an important element of most relationships, and this does not necessarily come to an abrupt end when impotence is a reality. The man and his partner can get creative in how they pleasure each other. This takes on enormous significance, when the man recognizes that without the removal of the cancerous prostate he could eventually die. Bottom line…it is better to be partially dead than totally dead.

Let’s focus on the two critical tests to screen for prostate cancer:

PSA Test (Prostate Specific Antigen test) – PSA is a protein made by the cells of the prostate gland. PSA is mostly found in semen, but it is also normal to find small amounts of PSA in the blood of healthy men. The PSA test measures the amount of PSA in a blood sample taken from the man’s arm. A small amount of blood is taken and the process is relatively painless. The test may be done when the doctor suspects prostate cancer because of a man’s health history or the results of a physical examination. A PSA test may also detect early prostate cancer in men who do not have symptoms. An increased PSA level does not necessarily mean that a man has prostate cancer. Only about 1 in 4 men with an abnormal PSA result will actually have prostate cancer. The other three will have a benign condition, such as prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate gland) or an enlarged prostate gland (BPH). PSA acts as a tumour marker (a substance that can be found in the body when cancer is present). Doctors watch the trend rather than a single PSA reading. Your doctor is best able to interpret the result of your PSA test. If you are 45 or older, you should do the PSA test at least once a year.

Digital Rectal Examination (DRE): A digital rectal examination is done to check the consistency of the prostate gland in men. The doctor checks for enlargement of the prostate gland and other abnormalities. A non-cancerous prostate gland would feel spongy and a cancerous gland would have a lumpy granular feel. There are situations when the prostate can feel normal but is cancerous.  A DRE is often done with a PSA test to detect prostate cancer early. Many men do not want to do this examination because it involves inserting at least two inches of a gloved finger into the man’s rectum. Entry through the rectum is the best access point to manipulate and feel the prostate gland. My advice to these men, is to get over this fear or phobia, because the digital rectal examination could save your life.

Prostate cancer is a serious matter…It is time for men to take responsibility and get screened for this devastating disease.

Men 45 years old and over, please make an appointment to do your prostate screening test as soon as possible.

 

Allan Bucka Jones is a Health Promoter and Broadcaster. You can contact Allan Bucka Jones at allan@jonesandjones.ca.

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