Brilio.net - Prostate cancer is a major concern in men's health, especially for those aged 45 and over. Many men are unaware of the early symptoms of prostate cancer because the symptoms are often painless.
Symptoms such as blood in the semen are often ignored, so the diagnosis is often late. Therefore, prostate cancer screening is highly recommended, especially for this age group.
Based on data from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia, prostate cancer is the sixth leading cause of death among men. With a global incidence of 30.7 per 100,000 men and a mortality rate of 7.7 per 100,000 men, it is important for every man to maintain prostate health.
In Indonesia itself, prostate cancer ranks fifth as the most common cancer case in male patients, with an incidence rate of 11.6 per 100,000 men and a mortality rate of 4.5 per 100,000 men. This condition requires the public to be more concerned about prostate cancer and its impact on men's sexual health.
Reasons why men aged 45 and over need to be screened for prostate cancer
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Given the high number of prostate cancer cases in Indonesia, screening is needed as early as possible, especially for men aged 45 years. This was conveyed by a Urology Specialist from the Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia (FKUI) Dr. Andika Afriansyah, SpU, Sub.SpFFN(K) who explained that prostate cancer screening usually begins with a Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) examination at the age of 50 years.
However, for someone who has a family history of prostate cancer, this examination should be done earlier, namely at the age of 45 years. The main methods for diagnosing prostate cancer include anamnesis of the disease course, digital rectal examination, measurement of serum PSA levels, and transrectal or transabdominal ultrasonography.
A definitive diagnosis can only be made through a prostate biopsy or surgical specimen. Through these steps, early detection of prostate cancer can help increase the chances of effective treatment and reduce the risk of more serious complications.
It was further explained that the main reason when prostate cancer screening is done is so that it can be treated as early as possible. Because if it is in an advanced stage, it is likely to cause death. However, if it comes at an early stage, then the possibility of a total cure can be done. According to him, prostate cancer screening should be done once or twice a year to avoid unwanted risks.
For your information, here are the symptoms of prostate cancer:
Prostate cancer is one type of cancer that is usually difficult to detect in the early stages because it does not show clear symptoms. New symptoms will appear and be felt by the sufferer after the glands begin to swell. Some symptoms of prostate cancer that can appear include:
- Weakened urine flow.
- Difficulty holding urine.
- Presence of blood in semen or urine.
- Increased frequency of urination, especially at night.
- A burning sensation and pain in the penis during ejaculation or urination.