Dayo Ojerinde
To avoid the risk of contracting prostate cancer, a Urologist, Dr Svs Rao, has urged men to engage in regular exercise, maintain a healthy weight and avoid smoking.
Rao, who was the guest lecturer at the World Prostate Cancer Awareness seminar and screening organised by Rotary club District 9110, Nigeria also advised men to eat more vegetables, reduce the consumption of red meat and rely on fish and skinless poultry to avoid contracting prostate cancer.
“Prostate cancer is the most common visceral malignancy in men and the third leading cause of cancer death. The commonest cancers in Nigeria are breast and cervical cancer among women and prostate cancer among men.
“Prostate cancer ranks first amongst Nigerian men and constitutes 11 per cent of all male cancers; the median age of patients being 67.5 years. No fewer than 182 in 100,000 men in South-West Nigeria have prostate cancer.
“To avoid this disease, men should limit their saturated fat intake; take vitamin D 1000 to 2000 IU/day; consider regular low dose statins and those who are above 45 years should go for a regular prostate-specific antigen screening.
A general health physician, Dr Anjola Otoki, listed age, race and family history as some of the risk factors for prostate cancer.
She said, “There are some risk factors that predispose one to develop prostate cancer. One of it is increasing age; usually, the risk of developing prostate cancer increases as age increases. It is rare to find it in ages less than 40 years and it is common to find it in ages greater than 65.
“African race or Caribbean ancestry is another risk factor; those who are black often present earlier than their Caucasian counterparts. Also, a family history of prostate cancer will also predispose one to develop the disease, although it doesn’t mean it is hereditary.”
The chairman organising committee of the webinar and screening, Mr Olusola Benson, said the event was organised to raise the awareness on prostate cancer to tackle it at the early stage.
