The incidence of prostate cancer is increasing year by year. Men over 50 must pay attention to this examination!

Prostate cancer is the most common malignant tumor of the urinary system, which seriously threatens the physical and mental health of men. With the improvement of living standards, the extension of life expectancy and the change of dietary structure, the incidence of prostate cancer has increased year by year.

October 28 is the 25th Men's Health Day. Recently, the Run Run Shaw Hospital affiliated to Zhejiang University School of Medicine held a popular science lecture on prostate cancer, calling on middle-aged and elderly men to pay attention to health management, have regular physical examinations, early screening, early diagnosis and early treatment, and protect prostate health.

Professor Li Gonghui, director of the Department of Urology, said in an interview: "Prostate cancer is a late-stage disease with no specific symptoms in the early stages. Many patients are not diagnosed until the middle or late stages, missing the best treatment opportunity. Early screening, early diagnosis, and early treatment are crucial to improving the cure rate of prostate cancer."

Director Li Gonghui introduced that compared with other tumors in the body, the overall prognosis of prostate cancer is relatively good. Relevant statistics show that the five-year survival rate of early prostate cancer can exceed 95%. "But this premise is also based on early detection and early diagnosis and treatment. If it is discovered late and the tumor metastasizes, the survival rate and quality of life will be significantly reduced." Director Li emphasized that it is necessary to attach importance to the popularization of prostate cancer screening and improve the public's awareness and attention to prostate cancer.

During the physical examination, there is a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in the tumor marker test, which is also an important early diagnosis and screening indicator, which can be detected by blood test. Director Li Gonghui said that PSA is generally normal at 0-4ng/ml. When the result is higher than 4ng/ml, it means that there is an abnormality, and it is necessary to suspect whether there is a possibility of prostate cancer and do further examination. He suggested that men over 50 years old should have a serum PSA test once a year.

It is reported that after decades of development, the treatment of prostate cancer can be roughly divided into surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and endocrine therapy according to different stages of the disease. Due to the particularity of prostate cancer tumors, endocrine therapy runs through the entire process of prostate cancer treatment. It controls tumor growth by inhibiting androgens. Clinically, there are one-month dosage forms, three-month dosage forms, and ultra-long-acting dosage forms of six months, that is, patients only need one injection every six months. The long-acting solution can significantly reduce the frequency of medication for patients, ensuring the treatment effect while improving the quality of life of patients.

Director Li Gonghui explained that prostate cancer is a typical hormone-dependent tumor and is quite sensitive to the androgen level in the body. The goal of endocrine therapy is to reduce serum testosterone and maintain it stably below castration levels. Simply put, it is to control tumor growth by inhibiting androgen levels.

"We have very good drugs that can inhibit tumor growth in 90% of early-stage prostate cancer patients by lowering serum testosterone levels, thereby controlling the progression of the disease." Director Li Gonghui believes that with the continuous emergence of innovative drugs, patients with advanced prostate cancer will also have more treatment options, bringing hope for better survival and quality of life.

To care about men's prostate health, Director Li Gonghui recommends that male friends should do the following in daily life: don't stay up late, don't drink alcohol; in terms of diet, try to eat less spicy and greasy food, avoid sitting for long periods of time, get enough sleep, and avoid overwork.