Prostate Cancer

Look at me, raising awareness about men’s health by copying and pasting information from the Movember website. How much more effective is this method than wearing a moustache.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in Canadian men and is the second largest cause of male cancer deaths in Canada. Each year around 23,600 new cases are diagnosed in Canada and close to 4,000 Canadian men die of the disease every year, which exceeds the number of women who die from breast cancer annually. Despite these figures, the level of awareness, understanding and support for prostate cancer lags significantly behind that of women’s health causes.

•    1 in 7 men will develop prostate cancer during his lifetime and 1 in 28 will die of it.
•    A man dies from prostate cancer every 22 minutes.
•    In 2013, 23,600 new cases of the disease will be diagnosed and 3,900 men will die of prostate cancer.
•    Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in men.
•    The incidence rates are nearly double in African Canadian men.
•    If detected and treated early, there is a 95 percent survival rate associated with prostate cancer.

The Digital Rectal Exam (DRE) 
The DRE involves the doctor inserting a gloved finger in the anus, where it is possible to feel part of the surface of the prostate. Irregularities include swelling or hardening of the prostate, or lumps on the surface that may indicate development of a tumour or other problems. The drawback to this test is that the doctor can feel only part of the prostate, so some irregularities may be beyond reach.

If the results of the test are abnormal your doctor would refer you to a specialist (i.e. Urologist) to take a tissue sample in the form of a biopsy. A biopsy is the only way to determine if cancer is present. A doctor typically diagnoses prostate cancer after closely examining biopsy cells through a microscope. There are several types of cells in the prostate and each contributes in its own way to the prostate’s development, architecture and function. Cancer cells look different than normal prostate cells. Pathologists look for these differences first to detect the presence of cancer and then to determine the cancer grade. Doctors will perform various tests to stage the cancer, determine its risk and develop a treatment plan.

Now to reward your attention. Skip to 32:25 for the relevant joke, although the whole stand up is worth watching.

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Christian. Audio. Technology. Go-Getter. Concise.

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