Need to Introduce Smart Screening in India to Diagnose Prostate Cancer

There is a need to introduce targeted screening or smart screening in India to diagnose prostate cancer in early stages in order to cure the disease, said city-based consultant urologist, Dr Kamlesh Patel. With September being the Prostate Health Awareness month, Dr Kamlesh has advised the people visiting the urology outpatient department in hospitals and clinics for urinary complaints to undergo yearly prostate specific antigen (PSA), and digital rectal examination after 50 and 40 years with a family history of prostate cancer.

“As men grow up, their body changes in ways one cannot always control. For most men, one of these changes come with the growing prostate. Aging men tend to have larger prostates. Enlargement of the prostate that is not a result of cancer is called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The incidence of BPH, one of the most common conditions affecting adult men, increases dramatically after the age of 50. While the cancer cases are less in India, cases of BPH are rising,” Dr Kamlesh said.

He added that an enlarged prostate directly affects a man’s ability to urinate as there is increased pressure on the bladder or the bladder becomes more irritable – this makes the urge to urinate stronger. He also said that men should observe their flow of urine. “If that changes, they should consult a doctor. As men age, they should get regular prostate screenings to check for BPH/prostate cancer. If you are having urinary problems, discuss them with your doctor. Even if you do not find urinary symptoms bothersome, it is important to identify or rule out any underlying causes.” – DNA India