Misunderstanding about prostate cancer can lead to a lot of delayed discussions concerning your health. And those delayed discussions, in turn, may cause the disease detection and treatment to get postponed at a moment when it is too late. Prostate cancer remains one of the common forms of cancer in men across the globe. India is no exception here either. As per GLOBOCAN 2022 estimates, the number of new cases of prostate cancer in India stands at 37,948.

"Assumptions and misconceptions can delay your diagnosis and treatment process much more frequently than the disease itself," notes Dr Amit Saple, Senior Consultant Urologist, Laparoscopic, Robotic and Transplant Surgeon at AINU, Visakhapatnam. Many men prefer to skip regular screening or visiting their doctors just because of the false beliefs about the disease. Knowing what is a myth and what is the truth about the condition can be the deciding factor when it comes to early diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer. Here are the five common myths about prostate cancer that have to be debunked.

Misconception 1: Prostate cancer occurs exclusively among the elderly

It is partly right since age is one of the known risk factors and the chance of developing prostate cancer increases with aging. But it doesn't mean that age is the only aspect to consider. Besides age, risk factors can include your family history and genetics which can make the disease appear in men younger than it might be expected. For this reason, it is necessary to see your doctor if you have a family history - not only of prostate cancer but of breast and ovarian cancer since they share a common genetic background.

Misconception 2: "I don't have any symptoms, so I don't have prostate cancer"

Symptoms of prostate cancer are very similar to those of benign enlargement of the prostate gland which is much more common and harmless condition. Symptoms may include weak stream of urine, difficulty urinating, increase in frequency and urgency of urination and, sometimes, blood in the urine. Sometimes the condition may also cause urinary retention which means inability to completely empty the bladder.

However, prostate cancer can sometimes occur without any symptoms at all, particularly in the early stage of the disease. This is exactly what makes it so hard to recognize. For this reason, do not rely only on how you feel. Visit your doctor to conduct the examination regardless of the fact whether you have some symptoms or not.

Misconception 3: "If I am diagnosed with prostate cancer, there is nothing that can be done"

Diagnosis of cancer does not equal your inevitable death and this is especially true about prostate cancer provided that it is diagnosed timely. According to Dr Amit Saple, innovations in diagnostic methods and treatments have radically changed the approach to prostate cancer in recent years. Depending on the stage and the type of the disease, it can be treated with various methods - from robotic surgery to hormonal manipulation and radiation therapy.

Misconception 4: Elevated PSA means cancer

Elevated PSA level is an indicator of prostate cancer but this does not automatically mean that one has cancer. There are a lot of non-cancerous conditions - such as prostate infection and urinary retention - that can lead to elevated PSA level. For this reason, men with elevated PSA levels require additional tests before making any conclusions about the presence of cancer.

Misconception 5: Nothing can be done if prostate cancer recurs after treatment

This is another assumption that can unnecessarily frighten those who have already experienced the treatment of the disease once. But it does not mean that all the treatment methods have been exhausted. As Dr Amit Saple explained, there are a number of different approaches to recurrence depending on the location of it, previous treatment and overall health of the patient.

In the case of prostate cancer, misunderstanding can be as harmful as negligence of the symptoms. One needs to understand his or her risk factors, visit the doctor proactively and not make assumptions when it comes to such serious issue as health.

Being aware and visiting your doctor are key points to making an informed decision about your prostate health. Do not let the misconception decide it for you.

(By Dr Amit Saple, Executive Director & Senior Consultant, Urology, Asian Intititute of Nephrology & Urology, Visakhapatnam)

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