PROSTATE cancer has remained the third most common cancer among Malaysian men since 2012, but doctors warn that the bigger issue lies in late detection.
Sunway Medical Centre Urology Consultant and Head of Urology Sub-division, Professor Dr Tan Guan Hee, said that while the disease is treatable in its early stages, most cases are only picked up when the cancer has already advanced.
"Prostate has been number three since 2012. The problem is not just that it’s common, but that we also pick it up at a later stage.
"That is the challenge, because in the early stage, prostate cancer is very treatable. But in the later stage, it becomes more challenging," he said in a health forum held in Sunway Medical Centre.
Dr Tan explained that one of the reasons for late diagnosis is the absence of symptoms in the beginning.
"Lack of symptoms is one of the main reasons. When the cancer is very small, it might not present any symptoms. They might not do anything. There’s no obstruction. So maybe not many symptoms, not much trouble at the beginning," he said.
Dr Tan noted that another major barrier is the reluctance to go for screening due to cultural reasons and embarrassment.
"I think we should advocate that if you have urinary symptoms in men, you should not ignore them. But many remain reluctant to undergo screening, often due to cultural sensitivities or the perception that it’s embarrassing
"The symptoms can also be mistaken for other conditions, like infection or ageing. Even when they go to the general practitioner or their local family doctor, it might be attributed to other things. That might be a reason why diagnosis is delayed," he explained.
He stressed that late-stage prostate cancer leads to serious complications that are much harder to manage.
"When it comes late, you have all these other added complications of the disease. Predominantly, bone problems like bone fractures, where patients suffer from severe pain and as a result, they get depressed.
"Once it spreads, it doesn’t become curable. You can only control it," he explained.