Talk to your doc in Brampton for Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

Brampton | Caledon | Latest News |

Published September 23, 2022 at 12:04 pm

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Assume the position, gentlemen.

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and Brampton’s William Osler Health System wants men to get checked for any cancer-related health issues before they become serious.

The Canadian Cancer Society says prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Canadian men, with one in eight men expected to be diagnosed in their lifetime.

Osler, which oversees operations at Brampton Civic Hospital and the Peel Memorial Centre, is urging men to get checked even if you’re feeling fine. The disease typically affects men over the age of 50, but Osler says men at younger ages are also at risk, particularly if you have a family history of prostate cancer.

And because many men with prostate cancer are asymptomatic, Osler says it’s important to visit your family physician regularly and discuss screening early on.

“The earlier you get screened, the faster the disease can be detected and treated,” Osler Urologist Dr. Suman Chatterjee said in a release. “There are also more treatment options available when the cancer is at its early stages.”

Most urologists suggest asymptomatic men past the age of 50 talk with their family physician about getting screened for prostate cancer. Men with a family history of cancer should consider getting tested starting at age 40.

Dr. Chatterjee said treatment for prostate cancer has improved greatly over the years, and the disease is treatable with less side effects and less invasive measures, depending on what stage the cancer is detected.

“For some, that means no medications, radiation or surgery at all but rather monitoring the disease,” Chatterjee said, adding that the five-year survival rate for local prostate cancer is approaching 100 per cent thanks in part to advancements over the last ten to 15 years.

As for preventative measure, Chatterjee said regular exercise and healthy eating will take care of cardiac health and in turn, your prostate.

“Research shows that incorporating plant-based food into your diet can help minimize risk of developing prostate cancer. Also, the healthier a patient with prostate cancer is, the better they will manage prostate cancer treatments,” Chatterjee said.

Routine screenings can also help detect colon and testicular cancer in their early stages.

Canadian movie star Ryan Reynolds recently underwent a colonoscopy after losing a bet to Always Sunny in Philadelphia actor Rob McElhenney.

The actors recorded the procedures in true Hollywood fashion, with Doctors discovering and removing polyps from both of their colons.

A viral video of the potentially life saving procedure has been viewed more than a million times.

Speak to your healthcare practitioner for more information on prostate cancer and whether you’re a candidate for screening.

 

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