Former US President Joe Biden’s cancer diagnosis has flagged concern about this “aggressive” form of cancer. While netizens debate whether this is a “cover up” or a politically strategised move, it is better to know the facts. Growth of cells in the prostrate gland or cancer of the prostrate is one of the most common forms of this condition. Found only in men, it is one of the only conditions restricted to the male reproductive system as per the Mayo Clinic. Since majority of the cases are diagnosed at an early stage, they are treatable and managed at that stage.
What is prostrate cancer?
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), for every 100 males, 13 will develop prostate cancer at some point in their lives. As per Cleveland Clinic reports, nearly 34,000 people die in the United States because of it. Common symptoms that are observed in later and more chronic stages include bloody urine, painful urination and loss of bowel control in most cases among men. WHO findings have also suggested that it becomes a chronic condition especially during later stages of a man’s life, aged 55 and above.
Symptoms of Prostrate Cancer
Some common observable symptoms of prostrate cancer include:
- Difficulty or painful passage of urine
- Bloody urine or semen
- Lower abdomen or back pains
- Loss of bladder or bowel control
What is Stage IV prostrate metastasis?
Joe Biden’s prostrate cancer, as per reports, has reached the final stage. A scientific name for Stage IV, a cancer is metastatised when it spreads from the host organ to affect other crucial aspects of the human body. More specifically, Biden’s cancer metastasised to the bones making it a potentially chronic condition. While the diagnosis includes a common antigen blood test, netizens raise speculations as to why Biden didn’t get tested earlier despite of having access to benchmark healthcare.
Age being a major risk factor for men, genetics and lifestyle also makes men prone to the diagnosis. Aged above 50, medical history and smoking, increase the chances of developing cancerous cells. Mainly, prostrate cancer detected at early stages is local i.e specific to the reproductive gland however, it may also be identified at a regional stage wherein it has started to spread to neighbouring organs.
Prostrate Cancer in India
As per researches published in the Indian Journal of Urology, Asia has the lowest incidence and mortality rates for prostate cancer with a mortality rate lower than 4 per 100,000 persons. Higher trends of incidence were observed in urban Delhi, followed by Chennai, Bengaluru and Mumbai. While nearly 9,500 cases were diagnosed between 2012 and 2019, they were all identified at advanced or metastatised stages. Overall, prostate cancer ranks as the third leading cancer site among males in India, following lung cancer and mouth cancer. It accounts for 6.1% of all male cancer incidence in India as estimated for the year 2022.
Prostate Cancer: Diagnosis and Treatment
As established there are three major stages of prostrate cancer. However, there are little to no observable symptoms during most nascent stages. It is advised by the Cleveland Clinic, that men above the age of 50 must get a prostate examination at healthy intervals from a medical professional to improve early detection and cure. Being one of the most age-adjusted years lived with disability (YLD) of 6.5 per 100,000 males, there is a huge burden on India.
Common treatments include radiotherapy and systematic therapies like chemotherapy. However, in severe cases a radical prostatectomy is only successful in case the cancer hasn’t spread to local regions. Low-risk and local cancers can also be treated with focal therapy which is a new-age methodology. They include high-intensity focussed ultrasound (HIFU), cryotherapy, laser ablation and photodynamic therapy.
Males with a genetic medical history being especially prone to prostrate cancer are often advised to maintain a healthy lifestyle. With regular screenings after the age of 50, men should have heightened awareness of a potential risk factors that also include obesity and smoking. Ensuring all precautions is the first step towards prevention.