June marks awareness month for the prevention of this silent disease.
Tunja, June 18, 2024. (UACP). If detected early, prostate cancer can be cured!
For this reason, the Boyacá Health Secretariat calls on Boyacá men to take actions to prevent prostate cancer during the remainder of June.
They also remind the entire community of the importance of being informed about this disease, knowing its main signs and symptoms, as well as the possibilities of accessing early diagnosis and effective treatment.
Currently, prostate cancer is common in older men, but very little is said about the subject, since there are many myths and beliefs about the disease; However, the truth is that most cases can be treated successfully if they are detected in time.
“According to data from the High Cost Diseases Account in Colombia, in 2022, prostate cancer ranked second among the 11 types of cancer prioritized in the country, and first place in the male population, representing 21 , 6% of the total cancer in men, with 4,191 reported cases with invasive stages,” explained Constanza Marcela García, professional from the Sexual and Reproductive Health Dimension.
Regarding the department, he explained that during the period between 2016 and 2020, for the cause of mortality in the neoplasia group, the second subcause was malignant prostate tumor, with the most representative rate, registering 12.57 deaths due to per 100,000 inhabitants in 2016, while in 2020, this disease was responsible for 10.41 deaths per 100,000 men.
“This type of cancer usually appears between the ages of 65 and 67, although cases have occurred since the age of 45. The risk factors mainly associated with prostate cancer are age, being over 50 years of age, family history, father or brothers with a history of prostate cancer, to which are added other modifiable circumstances such as excessive alcohol consumption, high consumption of red meat and dairy products, a sedentary lifestyle, obesity,” García warned.
Prostate cancer may be silent in its early stages, but there are warning signs that should not be ignored, such as difficulty urinating, weak urine flow, and blood in urine or semen.
In the presence of any of these warning signs, men should immediately go to health services.
The Boyacá Health Secretariat recommends that men between 50 and 75 years old frequently attend medical check-ups.
Currently, there are two simple tests for early detection: digital rectal examination and prostate antigen, which should be performed once a year, after turning 50 years of age.
- Prostate antigen (PSA): It is a blood test that measures a substance that increases when there is cancer.
- Rectal examination: It is a test performed by a medical professional to assess the size, hardness, sensitivity and consistency of the prostate.
Health care actions are important for early detection of prostate cancer. Among the prevention measures are constant physical activity, increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables, and knowing the diseases that relatives in the first degree of consanguinity have had.
(End/ Lorena Quintana – Communications Secretary of Health of Boyacá – UACP).
Communications and Protocol Administrative Unit.
Boyacá Governorate.
