Pasykaf urges regular screening for prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer among men aged between 65 and 74 in Cyprus, with 456 documented cases in 2018, according to the Association of Cancer Patients and Friends (Pasykaf).

According to a statement released by Pasykaf on Friday, prostate cancer develops slowly and several men who are diagnosed with the disease found out about it too late.

Therefore, the association called on people over 50, or even younger if they have a family history of prostate cancer, to undergo regular annual screenings to prevent the disease from spreading.

The main symptoms and signs of prostate cancer may include frequent urination, weak or interrupted urine flow or the need to strain to empty the bladder, the urge to urinate frequently at night, blood in the urine, new onset of erectile dysfunction and discomfort or pain when sitting, caused by an enlarged prostate.

Risk factors that increase the chances of being diagnosed with prostate cancer are older age, family history and a diet rich in animal fats and dairy products.

Pasykaf also called on men to regularly check for signs of testicular cancer, rarer but still relatively common among men aged 15 and 44.

It added that, for this type of cancer, monthly self-examination, should give an indication of early signs of the disease, manifested in symptoms such painless lumps the size of a pea or swelling on either testicle, and/or pain, discomfort and numbness in a testicle or the scrotum, with or without swelling.

For more information on cancer prevention and early diagnosis, please visit the Pasykaf website at www.pasykaf.org.