Dr. Joseph Chandia, a surgeon at Wezcare Hospital in Kampala, describes prostate cancer as a cancer that occurs in the prostate. The prostate is a small, nut-shaped gland in males that produces the decisive fluid that nourishes and transports sperm.
According to Dr. Chandia, prostate cancer begins when cells in the prostate develop changes in their DNA. The changes tell the cells to grow and divide more rapidly than normal cells do. The abnormal cells continue to live when other cells would die. It is a medical problem that can be controlled and healed medically, but not with herbs.
“The accumulating abnormal cells form a tumour that can grow to invade nearby tissue. In time, some abnormal cells can break away and spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body,” said Dr. Chandia.
However, according to Daniel Okisopi, 50 years old from Wakiso and a patient recovering from prostate cancer, during the initial stages of the disease, he had been advised by colleagues that he was struggling with erectile dysfunction because he had married a second wife and the first wife had bewitched him.
“I was having difficulties sexually, yet I had never failed in that field. My friends advised me to seek spiritual help from a witch doctor, which I did, and nothing changed. I chose to visit a health centre in my area, where I was advised to screen for prostate cancer; it turned out positive. “With this disease, there is no witchcraft; it is real,” said Okisopi.
Factors that increase the risk of getting prostate cancer;
Older age: It’s most common after age 50.
Race: Black people have a greater risk of prostate cancer than do people of other races.
Family history: If a blood relative, such as a parent, sibling, or child, has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, your risk may be increased. Also, if you have a family history of genes that increase the risk of breast cancer (BRCA1 or BRCA2) or a very strong family history of breast cancer, your risk of prostate cancer may be higher.
Obesity: Benign prostatic hyperplasia is more likely to develop among men with a larger waist circumference and body mass index and higher leptin levels. Leptin is a protein produced by fat cells that is a hormone acting mainly in the regulation of appetite and fat storage. Increasing abdominal obesity and serum leptin levels are associated with increased prostate volume.
Patients should visit a doctor when they develop the following signs and symptoms:
Trouble urinating, decreased force in the stream of urine, blood in the urine, Blood in the semen, Bone pain, losing weight without trying, Erectile dysfunction.
When to visit a doctor
Men above the age of 45 years should be screened for prostate cancer annually. This presents a good chance of detecting and treating early cancer.
Prostate cancer that’s detected early, when it’s still confined to the prostate gland, has the best chance for successful treatment.
When to start on treatment?
It depends on how fast one’s cancer is growing, whether it has spread, your overall health, as well as the potential benefits or side effects of the treatment.
The treatment options include:
Watchful waiting, active surveillance, hormonal therapy, surgery, and radiotherapy
Coping with prostate cancer
Get informed, get support, and get second opinions. Keep good records, involve the family, deal with sexual concerns and intimacy, Reduce stress and keep a positive attitude.
How can it be avoided?
Choose a healthy diet full of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Choose healthy foods over supplements.
exercise most days of the week.
Maintain a healthy weight.
How the patient can cope after surgery
Physiotherapy and physical exercise
Good nutrition
Emotional support
Follow-up care and reviews with the medical team
Dr. Chandia advises that after surgery, one should not do the following:
Please refrain from driving for one week after your surgery.
Refrain from vigorous activity (running, golf, exercising, horseback riding, motorcycles, and bicycling, however) for six weeks after surgery one to give your body time to heal.
Avoid climbing stairs as a form of exercise.
Avoid sitting still in one position for too long (more than 45 minutes).
Avoid bathtubs, swimming pools, hot tubs, or otherwise submerging yourself in water for as long as the catheter is in place. Showering is fine as soon as you go home.
When you may return to work depends on your occupation and how fast you recover.
Dr. Chandia advises that those suffering and recovering should get informed, get support from doctors, involve the family, avoid stress, and keep a positive attitude.
“Early detection presents the best chance for complete cure, so screening and early doctor reviews are important,” said DR. Chandia.
Running to witch doctors and believing one is bewitched and using herbs delays the process of proper diagnosis and treatments for the would-be patients of prostate cancer. Seek medical help early for better management.
