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This was announced in the sixth Nerk to Blue 2020 campaign hosted by the National Cancer Institute (IMI) each September. The public around the world is currently being informed about this serious male disease, and the European Association of Urologists has declared September 15 as World Prostate Cancer Day.
When comparing statistics from recent years, IMI oncologists have found an increase in the number of men diagnosed with advanced disease.
“Since 2012. Each year, a hundred cases of fourth-stage prostate cancer are diagnosed in the country. Most were patients with a second stage, less frequently a third, and the fourth was a rarity. However, in the In the last five weeks, we have diagnosed stage 4 cancer in up to 10 men, ”said Dr. IMI, Chief of Oncourology, A. Ulys.
The doctor added that aggressive cancer spreads in 4-6 months to such an extent that specialists can only promise to prolong the life of the patient, not cure it, treating it with complex and very expensive methods.
“The volume of diagnostic prostate biopsies alone decreased by 30% compared to the first half of last year, and the number of patients who participated in the program for early diagnosis of prostate cancer, referred for additional consultations with specialists , decreased 3 times. Since the incidence of prostate cancer is not decreasing and the scope of diagnostic tests has decreased significantly in the last six months, we expect an increase in the number of neglected cases. After all, a good prognosis in cancer treatment it is only possible if the disease is detected early, ”says Professor Sonata Jarmalaitė, interim director of the National Cancer Institute.
According to dr. A. Ulio, some men can develop prostate cancer for a long time without causing significant symptoms, but others develop aggressive cancer that spreads very quickly. “Men should see a doctor as soon as possible if they have back pain, urinary incontinence; these symptoms indicate neglected cancer. Be vigilant,” says the specialist.
Identify as soon as possible
For the early detection of the disease, our country has a program for the early diagnosis of prostate cancer for men aged 50 to 70 years and for men aged 45 if their parents or brothers have prostate cancer. They may have regular blood tests to check the levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA) in their blood. If the PSA level exceeds the norm, the family doctor will issue a referral to a urologist, who will perform a prostate biopsy if necessary.
“I know it’s easy to say go, take a look, because first you need to see a family doctor who is difficult to reach. However, if he is more active, he will see a specialist sooner and if he is ill, he will start treatment Only if the disease is detected early, good treatment results can be expected, ”said Prof S. Jarmalaitė.
“Many of our men have recovered from prostate cancer because they were diagnosed with an onset of the disease thanks to an early detection program and started treatment on time. Unfortunately, during the quarantine, the program almost stopped working. In half a year, when this program did not work, some 50 thousand people lost the opportunity to verify. mens. It is a severe blow to public health, but even more so to families, because prostate cancer is not just a man’s disease.
This disease affects the whole family and even the community. Therefore, it is not for nothing that we plant a family tree today, an apple tree, which leads to different types of apples, which symbolize the members of the family: a man, a woman and their children. Although the quarantine has ended, the resumption of the early detection program is very slow. Due to the health of our men, we must restore the pace of services that existed before the pandemic as soon as possible, ”said Paulius Rakštys, president of the Lithuanian Prostate Cancer Society.
Gian Luca Demarco, the Italian director of the Culinary Studio, gave a tasting of various Italian dishes for men, reminding him that a man’s health largely depends on what he eats.
“Italians live a long time because we are happy. One source of joy is food. It is only important to maintain the correct proportions, not eat so much that it is unhealthy and maintain balance. Lithuanians love extremes: one day they weigh 150 kilograms, the next, they are vegan. So wrong. You have to eat everything in the right proportions and enjoy it, ”she said.
Gian Luca Demarco added: “Men are very strong, but when we need to get tested, we become very cowardly. Therefore, women should not only make sure that we eat healthy, but also encourage us to take health checks and, best of all, make PSA testing mandatory; we will not do them ourselves. ”
Progress doesn’t stop
Prof. S. Jarmalaitė states that the treatment of prostate cancer is increasingly individualized, taking into account the innate peculiarities of patients, the molecular profile of the tumor. To date, the disease has been treated by blocking the activity of the male hormone androgens, but recent research suggests that there are several molecular subtypes of prostate cancer and that genetic testing will be increasingly necessary in the future to select solutions. of diagnosis and treatment.
“Hereditary prostate cancer is aggressive and therefore it is considered a different subtype of prostate cancer. When such cancer is detected, even in the early stages, radical surgical treatment is recommended. If the disease progresses and the patient is diagnosed with a hereditary disease BRCA1 / 2 With ATM genetic mutations, a new systemic treatment strategy with PARP inhibitors will be proposed in the future. In clinical trials, these drugs have shown good clinical potential and low toxicity, ”explains the professor.
Head of the Urology Center of the Vilnius University Hospital Clínica Santara doc. Arūnas Želvys also draws attention to changes in attitudes towards prostate cancer patients.
“In the past, if a man had prostate cancer, it was thought that he no longer needed treatment for other diseases, now these people undergo heart surgery, other expensive procedures, they will soon be added to the list of transplant patients, because it can prolong their lives. Treatment is becoming a complex problem, encompassing many areas, “said the specialist.
Do not be afraid
Prof. S. Jarmalaitė states that even though the situation of the healthcare system in Lithuania during the quarantine was very complicated and the activities of many medical institutions were limited, the National Cancer Institute worked full time. During quarantine, doctors reorganized work, distributed and restricted patient flows, learned to work with personal protective equipment and great care. And now patients enter IMI through quarantine posts at well-defined times, wearing protective masks, and are hospitalized after a negative response to the COVID-19 test.
“We are used to working in this prudent manner and successfully providing the full range of health services, reaching 70-80%. Conventional volumes. In just three months of quarantine, about a thousand patients in IMI continued or started chemotherapy or radiotherapy , and 700 patients underwent surgery for cancer, “says the professor.
However, oncologists eagerly await the fall, when the incidence of infectious diseases increases and the new virus is not yet regressing.
“I would like to remind you that infectious respiratory diseases are a constant part of the population and are not as deadly and difficult to treat as cancer. I believe that it is worth refining priorities and paying more attention to patients with cancer, heart disease and other chronic diseases. It is necessary to create conditions for the safe provision of services and not restrict the access of patients to timely treatment ”, says prof. S. Jarmalaitė.
Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancer diseases in the world and one of the leading causes of cancer death in men. About 2,500 men get prostate cancer in Lithuania every year, and our country is the leading EU country in terms of mortality from this cancer.
The organizers noted that the symbol of the campaign “Dive into the blue” – blue – sky colors – ribbon. When we lift our eyes to heaven, our hearts are filled with peace and hope, faith in the future. In IMI’s Garden of Eternal Flowers, a family apple tree was planted, leading different types of apples and honoring prominent oncologist scientists, former Institute directors – prof. Liudvika Laima Griciūtė (1926-2018) and prof. Albertas Telyčėnas (1928–1990). Commemorative benches were built for them in the garden.
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