Men Urged to Get Tested for Prostate Cancer

In observance of Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, the Jamaica Cancer Society, in association with the Jamaica Urological Society, will be staging their Annual Prostate Cancer Public Forum on Sunday, September 21, at the Mona Visitors Lodge, at the University of the West Indies (UWI), beginning 9:00 a.m.
Speaking with JIS News, Fundraising and Public Relations Officer of the Jamaica Cancer Society, Shullian Brown, said that the forum, which is being held under the theme, ‘Early Detection Equals a Longer Life’, will aim to educate males and by extension the females in their lives about this disease, which she said is claiming the lives of mostly men of African descent.
“We are trying to educate them and heighten their awareness, as we had 4,000 persons screened last year in our clinics and of this number, only 346 were men and we therefore need to let the men know that there is nothing to fear in being tested,” explained Ms. Brown.
Prostate cancer, is a disease in which abnormal tumor cells develop in the prostate gland and may spread to other parts of the body, including the bones.
Ms. Brown mentioned that for every 100,000 men tested, there are 42.4 that are diagnosed with the disease. However, she noted that the national figures are alarming, since this cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among Jamaican men.
The forum, she said, will be vital in conveying these startling statistics as well as informing participants of relevant facts regarding the disease, including diagnosis procedures, symptoms, treatment options and other related issues.
Presenters will include Dr. Michael Brooks, who will speak on the epidemiology of prostate cancer; Dr. Mark Young, who will focus on diagnosis; and Dr. Belinda Morrison, who will speak to the issue of diet and nutrition, as it relates to prostate cancer. For males who are concerned about the effect that this cancer has on their sexual and reproductive health, Dr. Leroy Harrison will address this in his presentation on sexual function and prostate cancer.
Other presentations will focus on the surgical management of prostate cancer and the management of advanced prostate cancer, among others.
Bemoaning the low screening for this type of cancer among the nation’s men, Ms. Brown stated that, “the level of participation of our men needs to be improved and their psyche needs, to change so that they can realise that they need to be screened on an annual basis,” while issuing an appeal for men 40 years and older to get tested.