Memorial Antalya Hospital, Department of Urology, Prof. Dr. Murat Savaş told what should be known about prostate cancer and its treatment and made suggestions.
“It is seen in 100 out of 35 thousand men in Turkey”
Prostate cancer is a very common type of cancer in the world and 1.5 -2 million people are diagnosed every year. Dr. Murat Savaş said, “The lifetime incidence in a man is 16% and it is a disease that affects men more frequently in developed countries. Genetic factors and diet are possible causes. It is 40 times more common in men in developed countries such as America and Northern European countries than in men in Asian and Far Eastern countries. The approximate risk in Turkey is reported as 100 prostate cancer cases per 35 thousand men. he said.
prof. Dr. Murat Savaş listed the risk factors in prostate cancer as follows:
Being old: The incidence of prostate cancer increases after the age of 50. The average age at diagnosis is around 65.
Race: It is more common in black men of African descent living in the West.
Family history: If the father and brother have it, the risk is doubled. If there is another person in the family, the risk increases up to 2 times this time.
Being tall: Prostate cancer is more common in tall men. Growth hormone is a hormone that plays with the mechanisms of cancer formation. It is thought to be seen more frequently due to the higher exposure of taller men to insulin growth hormone.
Obesity: Intake of foods rich in unsaturated fats may pave the way for prostate cancer.
Smoking: Smokers have lower PSA levels. For this reason, prostate cancer can be missed because the PSA level is low in smokers, and the possible diagnosis may be delayed.
High calcium use: Prostate cancer is much more common in those with a daily calcium intake of more than 1000-2000 mg. Therefore, consuming a lot of milk and dairy products increases the risk of prostate cancer.
prof. Dr. Savaş may not show any symptoms until the advanced stages of prostate cancer, but he said the following about its common signs:
- Frequent urination
- Decreased urine output
- Inability to relax after urination
- Blood in the urine
- burning while urinating
- advanced kidney failure
- Bone pain and fractures
“After the age of 40, examination is a must!”
Stating that if a person has a family history, PSA follow-up and rectal examination should be performed after the age of 40. Dr. Murat Savaş said, “The purpose of the examination is to check whether there is a change in consistency in the prostate rather than the size of the prostate. If there is any doubt in the examination, the diagnosis of prostate cancer is confirmed by taking Multiparametric Diffusion MR and then ultrasound guided biopsy.
Treatment planning is made after the staging of prostate cancer. If the tumor is in the early stage and has not spread beyond the prostate, surgery or radiotherapy can be applied. In localized tumors inside the prostate, the tumor tissue can be destroyed by heat energy. Similarly, with cryoablation, the tumor tissue is frozen and destroyed. However, these two treatment methods are still in the experimental stage and are applied by very few centers and physicians in routine practice. In different cases where the mass protrudes beyond the prostate, such as lymph, options such as radiotherapy, hormone and radiation therapy are preferred according to the condition of the patients. he said.
“Many treatment disciplines come into play”
If prostate cancer has spread to bones and other organs, hormone therapy or chemotherapy is given. Testosterone, the male hormone, is effective in the proliferation of prostate cancer cells. The testosterone level in the body is lowered with hormone treatments and the progression of the disease is stopped. Saying that sometimes the disease can be slowed down with chemotherapy, Prof. Dr. Savaş said, “Also, kidney failure, localized bone lesions, spontaneous bone fractures may develop due to prostate cancer. In this case, radiation therapy is applied to localized areas with radiotherapy. said.
Stating that the image is enlarged up to 15 times with robotic surgery, Prof. Dr. Murat Savaş continued his words by saying:
“Robotic surgery is the most common method used in the surgical treatment of prostate cancer in the USA. It should be applied in fully equipped centers and by experienced urology specialists. The advantages of robotic surgery in prostate cancer are very important. Thanks to the 3D imaging and 15-10 times image magnification provided, the anatomy of the prostate can be seen clearly in a very narrow area. The preservation of anatomical structures and nerves that provide erection, which are important in the mechanism of urinary retention, can be done much more successfully with robotic surgery. While the probe remains longer in patients after open surgery, the probe is withdrawn in 3-5 days in robotic surgery. In addition, there is less need for painkillers after surgery. The shortening of the recovery period provides a faster return to daily life.”
“Important recommendations for prevention of prostate cancer”
- Exercise more than 3 hours 2 days a week
- Drink no more than 3 cups of coffee a day
- Consume lycopene-rich foods such as cooked tomatoes, grapefruit, and watermelon.
- Include fish in your diet often
- Get your vitamin D levels checked
Be the first to comment