Men urged to get prostate checked

For some men, there's nothing more reprehensible than the thought of undergoing a digital rectal exam to determine if the prostate is in good condition.

Such is the reluctance that prostate cancer, which is highly treatable in its early stages, goes largely undetected until it's too late.

Prostate cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among Jamaican males. Prominent urologist Dr Elon Thompson said there is absolutely no need for men to be afraid of the finger. Sitting in his office at Westminster Medical Centre in Kingston yesterday, the senior doctor said that there is no reason to be scared of the digital rectal exam.

"I have not seen anybody die from it, and neither have I seen anyone converted into a homosexual after it. I have not seen anybody jump off the bed or have I heard anyone say it's the end of the world. Also, nobody has ever gotten erectile dysfunction from it, so there are no risks to having a prostate exam done," Thompson said.

According to the Ministry of Health and Wellness, 304 per 100,000 Jamaican men will be diagnosed with cancer of the prostate gland.

Prostate cancer usually is asymptomatic until it is in the advanced stage. Clinicians have said that early and regular screening for prostate cancer has the potential to significantly reduce mortality. More than 75 per cent of the cases are found in men over 65 years of age.

It is recommended that men start screening for prostate cancer at age 40 years, with digital rectal examinations and prostate specific antigen (blood) tests.

"The recommendation is that you do both the PSA blood test and the prostate exam. However, if you are unwilling to have the prostate exam, do not stay away. Get the PSA test done, because it may give you some information about your risks of having prostate cancer," Thompson said.