EJACC Partners Bat Prostate Cancer

In celebration of Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in June, the Eduardo J. Aboitiz Cancer Center (EJACC) of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) supported the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) and Cebu Eastern Visayas Chapter of the Philippine Urological Association in a lay forum and screening on prostate cancer last June 14 at the VSMMC Out Patient Department Conference Room.

The public forum discussed the ways on early detection and prevention of prostate cancer as well as diagnosis and treatment.

There were 40 forum participants from the Philippine National Police, Task Force Cancer of Cebu City, Cebu City Anti-Mendicancy Group, and Office of the City Market, Prevention Restoration Order Beautification Enhancement Division of Cebu City.

The activity was facilitated by urologist Dr. Enrique Tenazas, president of Philippine Urological Association-Cebu Eastern Visayas and training officer of VSMMC.

Tenazas began the forum by enumerating signs and symptoms of prostate cancer, which mainly cover problems in urination. He pointed out, however, that most of the time prostate cancer may not show these symptoms even when cancer cells has spread throughout the body. By that time, the patient already experienced bone pain, weight loss, paleness, and change in bowel habits.

The risk of developing prostate cancer increases with age and a strong family history on cancer.

In order to detect prostate cancer, men should undergo the following tests: digital rectal examination (DRE), prostate specific antigen (PSA), ultrasound, and biopsy.

Tenazas stressed that early detection of cancer is very important for treatment and it can be treated through surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.

A free consultation and DRE screening was conducted after the forum.

Prostate is part of men’s body found in the pelvis. It is located under the urinary bladder and in front of the rectum and surrounds part of the urethra.

The three types of prostate ailment are benign prostate hyperplasia, prostitis, and prostate cancer.

Based on EJACC’s Metro Cebu Population Based Cancer Registry, prostate cancer ranks fourth in cancer affecting men. The incidence and mortality rate of prostate cancer among men is high, especially at 50 years old and above. Within 1998-2002, about 263 cases of prostate cancer were reported and 158 patients were recorded to have died of the disease. While in 2003-2007, among the 353 cases, 217 died.

For more information on prostate cancer and services of EJACC, contact 254-6351 or 256-3287 and look for Gina Mariquit, or visit www.rafi.org.ph or www.facebook.com/rafi.org.ph, oir follow @rafiorgph on Twitter.