Renowned consultant oncologist Fred Okuku from the Uganda Cancer Institute has urged men aged 40 and above to prioritize prostate cancer screening.
“Prostate cancer is the main cancer among men at age 40; we recommend that you should start having your screening done,” noted Dr Okuku.
Uganda Cancer Institute in Mulago diagnoses about 3,000 new prostate cancer cases annually, and the disease remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men.
According to Dr Okuku, men with a family history of prostate cancer are particularly at risk, and cases involving both fathers and sons are increasing.
Dr Okuku emphasized that early detection is key to improving outcomes.
“Should the doctors notice that you are having cancer, you are at an advantage; you can have early treatment because early treatment will improve the outcome,” he said.
He added that advancements in treatment, such as radical and newer radiotherapy treatments are proving highly effective.
“Men can be cured early if they are diagnosed early with prostate cancer by using radical or newer radiotherapy treatments,” he noted, highlighting their potential to treat cancer successfully.
Symptoms of prostate cancer vary between early and late signs with early signs common to men with with an enlarged prostate.
Some symptoms include urinary frequency, blood in urine, and backaches among others.
Regular checkups and tests such as the PSA TEST with the health professionals remain essential in catching the disease early.
To prevent prostate cancer, Dr Okuku recommends adopting a healthy lifestyle.
He advised good diet (vegetables and fruit), regular exercise, keep a healthy weight, don’t eat too much processed meat, avoid smoking, and avoid alcohol.
He also cautioned against the dangers of processed meat, stating, “This will put you at risk of other non-communicable diseases like diabetes, hypertension.”
Dr Okuku also noted, “You have a chance to be cured if you are diagnosed and treated early.”
With the increased life span of Ugandans, more cases of prostate cancer are expected, making early detection and prevention efforts more critical than ever.