In an interview with NBC News, urologist Dr Ridwan Shabsigh says most men don’t prioritise annual check-ups, which is a cause for concern, especially where prostate cancer is concern is concerned.
Prostate cancer occurs when the cells in the prostate gland start growing uncontrollably, and like any other cancer, can be fatal.
We asked oncologist Dr Ntomboxolo Mboyi what men need to know about prostate cancer, such as the misconceptions and risk factors.
“Men, especially after the age of 40, have to go for an annual check-up with their doctor or urologist to see if there are any abnormalities in the prostate. I can’t stress enough how important this is,” Dr Mboyi says.
IT’S NOT AN OLD MAN’S DISEASE
She goes on to say that prostate cancer is often perceived as an old man’s disease, which is one of the biggest misconceptions about it. While she agrees that many years ago, it affected mainly men over the age of 65, these days there an increasing number of men are diagnosed in their 40s.
“We have lots of patients that are in their 40s that are diagnosed with prostate cancer. The age keeps getting lower and lower, and it is no longer an old man’s disease,” she says.
Dr Mboyi says that while it’s quite rare for patients to be diagnosed in their 20s and 30s, it does happen.
“These cases are rare, but they exist and are always quite peculiar. It’s a pity we haven’t had studies that speculate on what some of the causes for this occurrence at such a young age could be, but all the same, don’t stop doing your check ups,” she says.
“Where prostate cancer is concerned, there’s nothing one can look at and cite as a cause, but it’s important to make sure that you’re eating a healthy balanced diet, that your alcohol consumption is moderate, and that you avoid smoking,” Dr Mboyi says.
According to Genesis Health, black American men have the highest rate of prostate cancer in the world.
Prostate cancer is a slow-growing cancer and there are various treatment options available. In fact, almost 100% of men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer in its early stages are still alive five years after the diagnosis.
“The survival rate for prostate cancer is extremely high, especially when caught early, and there are various treatment options available” she says. “It’s important to understand that cancer is not a death sentence, and there are treatment options available.”
Dr Mboyi observes that in the past black men would only come for check-ups when their cancer was in the third or fourth stage, but things have changed.
“We’re getting more and more black guys coming for check-ups and the cancer is getting picked up really early,” she says.