Reasons prostate screening is key

Blue September is dedicated to men. It’s the time to get a word out there about prostate cancer in an effort to lower the death rate and reduce the suffering caused by this disease. In Tanzania, prostate cancer is popular in Kiswahili as saratani ya tezi dume.

Men aged 40 years and above are encouraged to have their prostate checked. Quite often, we get patients who feel worried or daunted by how the checking procedure is carried out.

Broadly speaking, there are two kinds of health checks—blood tests and the rectal exam.  The rectal exam is comprehensive in a way that the doctor uses his finger to feel the prostate gland, trying to determine how big it is; and whether it has bumps or dents or anything unusual.

There is a tendency of men feeling awkward about the whole exam process. Reasons for this behaviour ranges from lack of awareness about diseases affecting the prostate, to cultural prejudice. But, I think it’s high time men felt differently about prostate exam; by putting aside all apprehensions and cultural prejudices, as this actually means their life.

For those who realise that they may have a problem following a prostate exam, it does not harm to investigate further to try and rule out the possibility of cancer.

If all checks and tests are done and one is being diagnosed as having an enlarged prostate gland; then there is still a very positive solution waiting for you. 

Not only can an enlarged prostate gland be dealt with by having open surgery, but also by a minimally invasive procedure called TURP (Transurethral Resection of the Prostate).

At our hospital, SANITAS, TURP is often performed by our visiting super specialist, a urologist, Dr Aditya Pradhan who has carried out plenty of successful TURP surgeries.TURP is a surgery used to treat urinary problems due to an enlarged prostate.  A special scope is inserted into the urethra and the prostrate is removed piece by piece through the scope. TURP is generally considered the ideal option for men with moderate to severe urinary problems that haven’t responded to medication. Traditionally, TURP has been considered the most effective treatment for an enlarged prostate.

Often, the prostate gland gets bigger in men as they get older and develop a condition known as Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Many men with BPH have no symptoms at all.  Symptoms include the need to urinate often, especially at night, having trouble starting to urinate , having a weak urine  stream, leaking or dribbling urine and feeling as though your bladder is not empty even after you urinate.

If you are feeling such symptoms it is advisable that you go for checkups. There are also medicines commonly used to treat BPH.

If you are bothered by the above symptoms, then after being diagnosed and having done all the tests; medication followed by surgery, preferably TURP would be advisable. But what happens if surgery is ignored? Prostate cancer develops. Men can avoid this by simply performing that very first prostrate check NOW. Once a year a simple check can save your life! 

After the age of 40, the prostate is very vulnerable to diseases and cell mutation, such as cancers, tumors, inflammation or enlargement. These conditions all have similar symptoms and cause great discomfort.  But if caught early, all are treatable.

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