EProstate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in men and is the second leading cause of death worldwide in this population. It rarely affects men under 40, but the chance of getting it increases rapidly after age 50; This is when not only the number of new cases could increase, but also the aggressiveness of the tumor.
In the year 2020, the total number of cases in Latin America and the Caribbean exceeded 214,000, causing 57,415 deaths, and it is estimated that by 2025, the number of new cases will increase. in the region to 253 thousand cases, so early detection combined with adequate treatment is essential to timely detect the disease.
“It is important for patients to go to their trusted doctor if they have symptoms such as pain in the back, hips, chest or other areas, difficulty when urinating, numbness in the feet, weak flow or sudden desire to urinate, and blood in the urine, so that obtain an opportune diagnosis that will mark the the difference and will impact their quality of life”, explains Esteban Coto, medical director of AstraZeneca for Central America and the Caribbean.
84% of patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) have metastatic disease (meaning the cancer has invaded other organs).
nos) at the time of diagnosis. This type of tumor that grows despite the fact that the patient had his testicles removed and left behind. to release testosterone, which is a hormone that could favor tumor growth. For this reason, it is essential to work with education processes throughout the health ecosystem, including patients and families, because the benefits of detection and treatment in early stages could help. This would lead to a noticeable decrease in the progression of the disease and would allow better diagnosis and treatment, considering whether the cancer is slow or fast growing.
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“We are constantly ininnovating and researching treatments that are able to offer patients more comprehensive care and a better quality of life, through education Continuous medical care that allows the application of international guidelines that recommend, hand in hand with active surveillance, the use of treatments that allow a delay in the growth of the cancer and improve the survival of patients in advanced stages”, says Coto, while adding: “Deciding on the appropriate treatment, at the right time and moment, will have a lot to do with it. an impact on the life expectancy of patients.”
The 5-year survival rate for localized prostate cancer is almost 100%, but in advanced stage it is 30%, and from there The importance of patients assessing their health condition with a specialist doctor, who will be able to assess their health condition. resort to analyzes such as Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) and Digital Rectal (DRE), or genetic tests if necessary. If the patient is diagnosed with a tumor in the prostate, he should have regular follow-up that includes PSA every 6 months, DRE every 12 months, MRI every 12 months if required, and prostate biopsy at a frequency I did not know. less than 12 months.