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The Killer In A Private Area by Dr Sandra Richards
The prostate is a gland that secretes a fluid that helps to transport semen. It is located near the bladder and the rectum and when healthy is approximately the size of a walnut. Sometimes however, the prostate becomes diseased and cancerous. Increasingly undetected prostate cancer is the
cause of thousands of avoidable deaths in African, African American
and African Caribbean men. The mortality rate is disturbing,
especially as men get older. This can be avoided because prostate
cancer can be treated successfully if detected early enough and
before it spreads to other organs. The prostate gland and prostate cancer are under the influence of the male sex hormone, testosterone, which can drive tumours to grow and spread, but, if detected early enough men can have some treatment options, which may a one or a combination of therapies. The options may not cure, and will often have side effects, but will work to abate the extent to which the disease will thrive. The diagnostic process appears to be a barrier for many men to do what they could to avoid prostate cancer. This barrier could be cultural or educational but whatever the nature of the barrier, the barrier exists and something needs to be done to save the lives of Black men. Signs And Symptoms Of Prostate Cancer Not all men have symptoms but for those that do, the symptoms may include: • Urinary problems such as: trouble starting or stopping flow, frequent urination, unable to empty bladder, blood in urine or a frequent need to urinate during the night. • Painful or
burning urination. It is critical that men do not consider symptoms as the only indicator because not all men have symptoms. Regular examinations are recommended, depending on your risk factor which may include age so men must become proactive and contact your physician to determine your risk factor. If the routine examination takes places early enough a physician may be unable to detect any tumour during a regular rectal exam. However, signs may be detected through the prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood test, which is not conclusive but widely used. Later in the prostate disease stage, a tumour forms which can be felt during examination but may not have spread beyond the prostate. If detected before spreading, the prostate can be treated or isolated and removed. The final stage is where the cancer has spread to other organs and lymph nodes. If prostate cancer is detected at the earliest stages, over 50% of men diagnosed will live for more than 15 years. Before we look at the how to ensure early detection, lets look at why early detection is advisable. If prostate cancer is undetected it can spread to lymph nodes or bones and this heralds the rapid spread of cancer throughout the body. There is no ‘one size fits all’ therapy and so men must decide, with their physician, what they believe will work best for them. Surgery is an option where the physician removes all or part of the prostate and maybe surrounding and related affected areas. Whilst there are effective therapies for shrinking cancerous tumours, when cancer spreads to lymph nodes or bones the prognosis become poor. Rectal Examination Another method of examination that seems to freak Black men out is the thought of rectal examination, medically referred to as ‘DRE’ digital rectal examination. This is where a man assumes a position where his anus becomes accessible. This may require his lying on his side, squatting on an examination table, bending over an examination or any other position where a physician can insert a gloved and lubricated finder into the man's back passage and gently probing, feels the insides. During the examination, the physician is trying to detect the size and shape of the prostate. The prostate should feel smooth. If lumps are present or there are irregularities prostate cancer may be present. A DRE does not always catch prostate cancer. A biopsy is the only way to rule it out. All men react differently, but for some men the mere thought is psychologically devastating and makes them feel emotionally and physically uncomfortable. In my research some men have confessed that they feel very uncomfortable discussing it and would not entertain being touched. Interestingly, they say they would allow examination of the area for relief from haemorrhoids. One of the best ways to catch prostate cancer early is to pay a visit to your doctor for a regular check up. The older you are, the more vital this becomes in diagnosing and catching this deadly form of cancer. Remember, early detection saves lives. Prevention Prevention is the absolute life saver, although there are no conclusive tests, research indicates that Vitamins A, C D, lycopene in tomatoes and the selenium in nuts reduces the rate of cell division; Vitamin E is an antioxidant, green tea reduces the effect of testosterone on the prostate and weight loss and all of these reduce the risk of prostate cancer. What Next Take some time to think about it, occasional discomfort for a lifetime of health. It would be such a shame to avoid prevention and early detection. Be a man, get examined
Dr. Sandra Richards is a Professional Development & Personal Growth Specialist and author of the Empowerment through Education CD resources and ‘The F.O.R.M.U.L.A’ (Frame Of Reference Model Underpinning Learning Achievement). For further information email: sandra@desiretoinspire.com or visit www.desiretoinspire.com. Tel 020 8578 0070.
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In
a private area of the male anatomy lies a gland that can have a life
or death consequence if ignored. The gland is called the prostate.