Every man aged 50 years or older needs to know the risk of developing prostate cancer. One of the easiest and most available methods of detection is the blood test known as Prostate Specific Antigen or PSA

PSA is a protein that is produced by normal, as well as malignant (abnormal), cells of the prostate gland. The PSA blood test measures the level of PSA in a man’s blood in order to determine if he is at risk for prostate cancer. The higher the PSA levels are, the higher the risk of having prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is the leading cancer in men globally. According to the World Cancer Research Fund International, over 1.1 million men worldwide were diagnosed with prostate cancer which accounted for an alarming 15% of all cancer cases in men.

There are a few things to look at in order to determine if you are at high risk for prostate cancer :

• Age – Most cases of prostate cancer are found in men aged 50 and older.
• Family History – Having a father or brother who has had prostate cancer.
• Region – Prostate cancer is more common in North America and Europe and less common in Asia.
• Diet – Men who eat a lot of fatty foods and regularly eat red meat are at increased risk.

Often untested men wouldn’t know they had prostate cancer until it was already at the late stages. There are many symptoms to look for in order to detect prostate cancer early. Some of these symptoms include:

• More frequent urination, especially at night.
• Pain or a burning sensation while urinating.
• Feeling as if your bladder is never empty.
• Having problems starting or stopping urination.
• Seeing blood in the urine stream. If you see blood, it is important to seek medical attention immediately!

There are currently a number of successful treatments available for prostate cancer . Surgery, Radiation Therapy, Chemotherapy and Hormone Therapy are all good treatments depending on the stage and “grade” of the cancer. Bumrungrad International Hospital is proud to announce the availability of the most State-of-the-Art treatment for prostate cancer known as the Da Vinci Surgery procedure . The Da Vinci System (da Vinci Robot) is designed to perform minimally invasive surgeries (MIS). The treating surgeon needs to make only five small incisions near the navel and then operate the robot using 3D imagery. This type of treatment has several excellent benefits:

• Effective cancer control.
• Patients feel less pain, spend less time in the hospital and faster recovery.
• Greater surgical precision!
• Potentially Less urinary and sexual dysfunction side effects from the surgery.
• Quicker surgery time and less blood loss.
• Fewer complications.

With early detection, prostate cancer survival rates are high. According to the American Cancer Society, the relative 10-year survival rate is 98% and the relative 15-year survival rate is 96%. These are favorable numbers so long as prostate cancer is detected early, which is why having PSA levels checked is so important.

If it is time for your annual consultation with a urologist, you are concerned about your PSA levels or show any of the symptoms of prostate cancer, please make an appointment today at Bumrungrad’s Urology Center. The Urology Center is located on the 16th floor of the Bumrungrad Clinic Building and can be reached by calling +66 2011 2222.

By Dr. Charuspong Dissaranan, Urology Center, Bumrungrad International Hospital