The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Coimbatore News : Periodic screening for prostate cancer, a must after 50

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 14, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore

Periodic screening for prostate cancer, a must after 50

By Our Staff Reporter

COIMBATORE, APRIL 13 . As prostate cancer was predominant among men above the age of 50, periodic screening was imperative. Those with a family history had to get screened more frequently as the chances for occurrence was high, the Urologist at the Vedanayagam Hospital, S.V. Kandasami, told The Hindu .

Prostate cancer occurred due to changes in hormonal pattern, he said, and added that it was mostly genetically determined. If malignancy had occurred in a blood relative, the chances of occurrence were two-fold, and five to eleven-fold if it had occurred in more than one person in the family.

He said that consumption of fatty foods was believed to act as a "catalyst" in those who were prone to cancer. However there were no specific causes cited.

The cause of malignancy in those aged below 50 was also mostly genetic, and there were only very few instances of cancer in youngsters. On an average, there were two or three cases a month diagnosed at this hospital.

The obvious symptoms of the cancer were urinary tract irritation and obstruction. Dr. Kandasami stressed the need for Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test, used to detect malignancy in the prostate. He said that the test should be included in master health checks and health camps as it enabled early detection. In the United States of America, the test was done periodically and radical surgery (removal of prostate glands) was performed immediately. But lack of expertise in performing the surgery would sometimes damage the sphincter (urinary tract), leading to uncontrollable urination. Yet another treatment for the cancer was radiation. This was of two types, the external beam radiation and implantation of isotope seeds inside the prostate glands (Brachytherapy).

The stages were categorised as Stage A- not clinically detectable, Stage B- cancer confined to the prostate, Stage C-immediately adjacent to the prostate and Stage D- gone outside the prostate.

Most of the cases detected in India fell under stages C and D, and hence impossible to cure. As the "hormone-dependent cancer" fed on testosterone (male harmone), the removal of testosterone controlled the disease considerably.

Anti-androgens (a drug that acts against testosterone) were prescribed for those who resisted removal of testicles.

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