Reducing male mortality from cancers of the genitourinary system – this is the main goal of the special prevention program presented by the Ministry of Health on Thursday. It will be implemented in cooperation with the Warsaw Oncology Center.
During the conference, Deputy Minister of Health Marek Haber emphasized that so far oncological preventive programs have been directed mainly to women. The men were a bit neglected. (…) The program will fill this gap – he said. Haber reminded that men who are fully active in work often suffer from cancers of the genitourinary system.
Director of the Oncology Center in Warsaw, prof. Maciej Krzakowski pointed out that 30 percent. cancer patients are saved thanks to preventive examinations, and another 30 percent. thanks to early cancer detection and appropriate therapy.
He added that the Oncology Center, thanks to the experience and competence of specialists, will effectively implement the program. Our goal is that prostate cancer is not the number two killer of men – said prof. Krzakowski.
The preventive program in the field of early detection of cancers of the genitourinary system in working men aged 45 and over is conducted by the Ministry of Health in cooperation with the Oncology Center – Instytut im. Maria Skłodowskiej-Curie in Warsaw. It is financed, inter alia, by from EU funds.
As emphasized by the Ministry of Health, the main task of the program is to raise the health awareness of professionally active men, with particular emphasis on people who, due to their professions, are at risk of developing cancer of the kidney, bladder or prostate gland. It will also be important to update the knowledge of family and occupational medicine doctors about these diseases.
One in four cases in men is associated with neoplastic diseases of the genitourinary system. In many cases, early detection offers a chance of a successful cure. The practice of other countries indicates that the introduction of preventive programs aimed at education in the field of pro-health behaviors related to cancers of the genitourinary system may contribute to reducing the health, social and economic effects of these diseases.
In 2008, 15276 men developed genitourinary cancer, which is 23%. all new cases of illness. More than one third of cases occurred in men aged 45-64. (PAP)