Prostate Cancer Awareness Month: 5 Facts You Should Know

Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer in Canadian men and among the leading causes of cancer deaths. So, this Prostate Cancer Awareness Month the BC Cancer Foundation is sharing five facts you need to know about this disease:

1. Prostate cancer accounts for 12% of all cancer diagnoses in men in B.C., and over 4,000 men in the province will be diagnosed this year.
2. Symptoms can include trouble starting or stopping urination, a slow urine stream, painful urination or ejaculation, needing to urinate more often, or blood in your urine or semen. Advanced-stage prostate cancer symptoms include weight loss, extreme fatigue, back pain, a sudden pain running from your lower back to your leg or swelling in your legs that does not go away.
3. Age, family history, dietary choices and ethnic background all factor into your risk of developing prostate cancer. In B.C., screening is recommended for all men beginning at age 50. Black men and those with family members who have faced the disease are at a higher risk and may be recommended earlier screening. Screening can include a review for lower urinary tract symptoms and a Digital Rectal Exam (DRE), with a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test in the event of abnormal findings.
4. Innovative research at BC Cancer is advancing treatment and care for prostate cancer patients. BC Cancer – Victoria’s Dr. Abraham Alexander recently published research leading to the use of a high-precision radiation therapy called SABR in curative prostate patients. SABR reduces the number of radiation visits per patient to just five doses of radiation to tumours – decreased from upwards of 25 doses with standard radiation. This results in a highly effective treatment with fewer side effects.
5. Dr. Alexander is now developing the next cutting-edge trial with Dr. Winkle Kwan at BC Cancer – Surrey, which is expected to begin at the end of 2024. The trial, known as ADAPT-25, will use the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to reduce the number of SABR treatments from five to just two doses, while maintaining pinpoint efficacy and minimal side effects.

If you have symptoms, concerns or questions about screening, speak with a health care provider.

Source: BC Cancer