The incidence of prostate cancer in men is growing rapidly in Poland, and the mortality from this cancer is also increasing, although at a slower pace – said Dr. Urszula Wojciechowska from the National Cancer Registry on Thursday at a press conference in Warsaw.
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men after lung cancer. In the most developed countries, such as the United States and Western Europe, both the incidence and mortality of this type of cancer have been decreasing in recent years, unlike in Poland.
Dr. Urszula Wojciechowska from the National Cancer Registry at the Oncology Center in Warsaw noted that such downward trends are visible in all countries with high expenditures on medical care. This is the result of more advanced prostate cancer diagnosis than ours, as well as the use of the latest treatment methods – said the specialist.
She added that the effectiveness of the treatment of this cancer is also improving in the Czech Republic. Prostate cancer mortality is highest in poor countries, such as Africa.
The NCR forecasts that in 2015, 14 thousand people will be detected in our country. new cases of prostate cancer, and 5 thousand. patients with previously diagnosed disease will die, usually after several years of treatment. In 2012, just three years ago, 11 people fell ill with this cancer. men, and 4,1 thous. died.
Dr. Wojciechowska believes that the epidemiology of prostate cancer in Poland is similar to that in previous years in the most industrialized countries. In the United States and Western Europe, the number of cases began to increase rapidly in the 90s with the introduction of PSA testing and other methods of early detection of this cancer, such as ultrasound and digital rectal examination.
The innocent symptoms of tumors
Prostate cancer is one of many modern civilization diseases, in the mid-nineteenth century it almost did not occur at all, then it was considered a rare disease – said Dr. Krzysztof Antoni Bardadin from the Department of Pathomorphology of the Medical University of Warsaw.
In the 50s, only 7% of Poland suffered from prostate cancer. men over 60, in 2010 this percentage increased to 16 percent. and will most likely continue to grow. Most cases (70%) occur in people aged 65-70.
Dr. Bardadin believes that in Poland, as in other countries, men, especially those over 60, should be persuaded to regularly undergo diagnostic tests, including, in particular, controlling the level of PSA protein. When it is elevated, it may indicate cancer development (although it may also suggest inflammation and enlargement of the prostate gland).
Just one finger test of the stool and the PSA test will protect a man for years, i.e. he can be sure that this tumor does not threaten him yet – emphasized the specialist. He added that in case of doubt, transrectal ultrasound TRUS and the so-called core needle biopsy of the prostate gland. If the disease is even detected, it is rather in the initial stage, when it can be treated effectively or even only monitored for some time.
The international research of Concord 2 shows that in our country the percentage of five-year survival among men suffering from prostate cancer has improved. In the years 1995-2009 it increased by almost 20 percentage points – from 54,3 to 74,1 percent. However, it is still lower than in Western Europe. In Finland, five-year survival in prostate cancer is achieved in 86%. men, in Sweden 84 percent, and in Norway – 80 percent.
According to Dr. Wojciechowska, in Scandinavia such treatment effects are achieved despite the higher incidence of prostate cancer (per population) than in our country. This proves that the high incidence of this cancer with the appropriate level of medical care does not have to mean high mortality at the same time, she emphasized.
Zbigniew Wojtasiński (PAP)