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In Poland, over 5 men die every year from prostate cancer. It is primarily a reflection of a lack of awareness and fear of the examination. The statistics are alarming, according to the data of the National Cancer Registry, the incidence has increased almost sevenfold in the last 30 years, and it would be enough for every XNUMX-year-old to see a urologist.
- The number of cases and mortality from prostate cancer in Poland, in contrast to other European Union countries, is growing
- The probability of a prostate cancer is genetically determined
- Tests that will help to rule out this type of cancer are digital rectal examination and PSA antigen levels.
- Prostate cancer detected at an early stage can be cured with surgery or radiotherapy
- Check your health. Just answer these questions
- You can find more such stories on the TvoiLokony home page
What do the statistics say about prostate research in Poland?
Every year in Poland there are about 15 – 16 thousand new cases of prostate cancer, of which about 5 thousand. ends in death. This trend is the opposite to that in other European Union countries, where the number of deaths has decreased by 2015 percent since 7. At the same time, the mortality rate in Poland increased by 18%. and continues to grow. Some doctors predict that over 2020 people will die of prostate cancer in 6.
According to statistics published as part of the National Health Test of Poles in 2017, malignant neoplasms caused 26,3% deaths. men. Meanwhile, palpation of the prostate in the last 12 months has done only 24 percent. men aged 55 – 64 and 40 percent in the age group 65+. 41 percent have never performed a survey. men aged 55-64 and 22 percent. men over 65.
Another important test – the level of the PSA antigen, associated only with blood sampling, was performed by 37%, respectively. and 52 percent As much as 35 percent of it has never been done. men aged 55 – 64 and 19 percent. over 65 years of age. Interestingly, the percentage of research increases with education.
We talk to Dr. Paweł Wisz, a urologist working at the Hospital in Klinach in Krakow – the only representative of Poland on the board of the European Robotics Society of Urology.
Who is most at risk of prostate cancer?
People with a family history of this disease are at the greatest risk. So if your father, brothers or grandfather had prostate cancer, the risk of developing the disease increases up to ten times.
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What other factors increase the likelihood of its occurrence?
Here, the most important are genetic conditions, and the peak incidence is observed between the age of 60 and 70. On the other hand, obesity, a sedentary lifestyle and stress may contribute to the occurrence of this cancer.
When should I see a urologist?
According to the guidelines of the European Association of Urology, every man over 40 should have the first checkups. This is a PSA antigen test and, if indicated, a digital rectal test.
So this applies to every healthy forty-year-old?
Of course. It is a mistake to think that I am okay, I feel great, it means that I do not have cancer. Prevention allows us to detect the disease at an early stage, when it is curable. It should be emphasized that prostate cancer does not show symptoms in the initial stage. That is why prophylaxis is so important, in other words, a control visit with a specialist and performing basic tests. However, when it turns out that their results exceed the accepted norms, it is time to deepen the diagnostics.
What are these basic compulsory examinations?
The basis is an interview. We ask the patient if there have been any cancer cases in his family and on this basis we classify him as a high-risk group. Then it’s time to test your PSA antigen levels.
PSA is a protein produced by the prostate, and an increased level of PSA may suggest that something disturbing is happening within it. I would like to add that this is not synonymous with cancer. PSA levels may also be elevated in patients who have benign prostatic hyperplasia or have history of prostatitis. This is a non-cancer specific test that suggests that something is happening and that more tests need to be done.
I emphasize that even the normal PSA level cannot lull our oncological vigilance. This is because there is a group of patients in whom the cancer shows up despite the level of antigen appropriate for their age. Therefore, this is not the only study we rely on. Another is a rectal examination. If your doctor detects a lump, this may suggest a prostate cancer. Again, we should do a transrectal ultrasound now. However, according to the new guidelines of the European Association of Urology, which entered into force in 2019, an MRI should be performed followed by a targeted biopsy.
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What is going on?
If the resonance showed suspicious changes, it is best to perform the so-called fusion biopsy, a modern and very thorough examination. Why? Because the resonance image is superimposed on the ultrasound image in real time, we can penetrate exactly the place that is suspicious for us. Then the probability of detecting a possible cancer increases.
So even the correct PSA test results will not tell us everything?
Prostate examination must be approached holistically. We cannot make assumptions that if the PSA is okay, it means we have five years of peace. We also need to do at least a rectal examination. However, if the patient belongs to the risk group, we extend the diagnostics. In Poland, non-reimbursed tests, such as liquid biopsy, are available. This is a urine test. After the prostate has been massaged, the patient urinates and a genetic test is performed. The results tell us what the likelihood of cancer is.
Since prostate cancer in the initial stage is asymptomatic, what is the further course of the disease?
This is a very individual matter. We have very young patients who have aggressive cancer, and we have older patients with milder forms of the disease. Generally, prostate cancer takes years to develop slowly, but there is also a group of patients who develop the disease very quickly. Of course, the latter group is smaller.
The scale of the disease in Poland is significant, it is already approx. 16 thousand. men every year.
What symptoms should worry men?
Weak urine stream, blood in the urine, blood in the semen, a feeling of urine retention in the bladder are symptoms that clearly suggest that you should see a urologist quickly. This is also how mild, age-related prostatic hyperplasia manifests itself, but everything needs to be verified. On the other hand, pain in the perineum, bone pain, pathological fractures or swelling of the lower limbs are often associated with a more advanced disease.
What are the treatment options for prostate cancer?
You can choose from various forms of surgical treatment or treatment with radiotherapy. When it comes to surgical treatment, these can be old-style operations, i.e. classic open treatment, laparoscopic operations, or minimally invasive operations using the da Vinci robot. The robotic method allows the patient to be operated on with the help of miniaturized tools placed on the robot’s arms. They are controlled by a surgeon sitting at a console equipped with a three-dimensional vision camera and levers to eliminate hand tremors. The latter method is already standard in the world. In our country, the lack of reimbursement is a barrier to its dissemination. The procedure can cost up to 45. zloty. However, you have to consider the benefits. After such an operation, there are fewer complications, the patient recovers faster and is fully active in life and work.
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How would you encourage men who are still afraid of seeing a urologist to have their prostate examined?
Every man should have a blood test for PSA level and digital rectal examination at a certain age. If men take care of prophylaxis now, then they will be able to enjoy a healthy life longer, even assuming the worst-case scenario, i.e. cancer. In the initial phase, it can simply be healed and continue to live.
See also:
- Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men. Disturbing data
- Oncology in the time of COVID-19. “At the moment we have postponed death sentences”
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