The Blue November campaign takes place throughout Brazil to make men aware of the need to make an early diagnosis of prostate cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, Inca, at least 68.220 new cases are diagnosed each year, being the second leading cause of death among men, with 14 deaths annually.
As a form of prevention, the director of clinical oncology at the Brazilian Society of Oncology, Hézio Fernades, explains that men should be aware of signs and diagnosis of the disease.
“One in seven, eight men will get prostate cancer. The earlier you find out about prostate cancer, the greater the chance of a cure and the greater the chance that this man will stay alive and without sequelae,” he says.
Prostate cancer is a tumor that affects the gland located below the bladder and that surrounds the urethra, the channel that connects the bladder to the external orifice of the penis. Although it is a common disease, out of fear or ignorance, many men prefer not to talk about it.
The director of the Brazilian Society of Oncology, Hézio Fernandes, points out that the disease is confirmed after a biopsy is performed, which is indicated when there is any change in the blood test, or by means of a digital rectal examination, prescribed from the suspicion of a case by a specialist doctor.
“The digital prostate exam is a zero-cost exam. It costs a glove and a few grams of lubricating xylocaine, nothing more! It is an absolutely free exam. So, it is an exam that should not, under any circumstances, suffer from the lack of resources from the Unified Health System (SUS)”, he says.
In most cases, prostate cancer grows slowly and does not show signs during life or threaten the man's health. In other cases, it can grow rapidly, spread to other organs and even cause death.
When located only in the prostate, the cancer can be treated with oncologic surgery, radiation therapy and even vigilant observation in some special cases. In the case of metastasis, that is, if the prostate cancer has spread to other organs, radiotherapy is used along with hormonal treatment, in addition to palliative treatments.
Source: National Cancer Institute (Inca)
