Dr. Paulo Esteves, Urologist and Andrologist, answers the main questions about prostate cancer.
Blue November is the month of awareness of prostate cancer, the cause of death for over 28% of men who develop malignant tumors. According to the National Cancer Institute (INCA), every 38 minutes a man dies from prostate cancer. Therefore, this disease continues to pose a considerable challenge to men’s health. Its early diagnosis is the secret to achieving a greater chance of survival and complete recovery. Knowledge is essential in the fight against prostate cancer. To provide more information on such a pertinent topic, Dr. Paulo Esteves, Urologist and Andrologist, has answered the main questions on the topic. Let’s go?
What is prostate cancer and what are its main symptoms?
Prostate cancer is a condition in which malignant cells develop in the prostate, a gland located beneath the bladder and responsible for producing semen. In this scenario, “the main challenge of prostate cancer is that the disease causes no symptoms at first,” says Dr. Paulo Esteves. Because it causes no immediate symptoms and works silently, it is common for the disease to go undetected at first, which reduces the chances of recovery. However, by carrying out regular tests, it is possible to see the signs at an early stage. As the disease progresses, it is normal for some symptoms to begin to appear, including: bone pain, pain when urinating, the urge to urinate frequently, blood in the urine and/or semen. According to the specialist, the manifestation of physical symptoms means that the disease is in an advanced stage. However, there are risk factors that may mean you need to pay double attention, such as family history – father, brother or uncle – and obesity. You should also be aware of race, as blacks make up 60% of cases diagnosed in Brazil.
Does early diagnosis make a difference?
Early detection of prostate cancer makes a significant difference in treatment and directly impacts your chances of a cure. Early diagnosis allows you to tackle the disease in its early stages, when the cancer cells are still found only in the prostate. This means that the patient will be more successful in treatment, as well as having more alternatives to fight this disease. It will also have fewer side effects, improve quality of life, and will not require aggressive treatments, among others.
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How to detect prostate cancer and what are the treatment options?
“The cheapest screening methods are still the rectal examination of the prostate and the PSA blood test. The test is carried out during the visit to the urologist and lasts only a few seconds, while the PSA is carried out with a simple blood sample blood Other more complex tests can help reach the diagnosis when some changes are found in these initial tests”, explains the specialist. Learn more about the methods that can be used to identify a possible neoplasm:
- Rectal exam: This is performed by a urologist during a routine visit. Through a rectal exam it is possible to identify if there are changes in the prostate. The exam is quick, painless and essential for prevention;
- PSA (prostate specific antigen): is a blood test that tries to measure all the levels of prostate antigen present in that person. Any elevation may indicate that there is a problem with the patient’s prostate;
- Transrectal Ultrasound (TRUS): through an ultrasound inserted into the rectum it is possible to obtain detailed images of the prostate.
However, some methods are subject to prejudice: “Even today, many men do not undergo these preventive exams for a variety of reasons such as prejudice (machismo), lack of healthcare, fear of feeling pain during the exam or even the fear of finding a disease and we have to face it”, underlines the doctor. Early diagnosis is key and will determine a given patient’s chances, as late-stage treatment is not as effective as expected. Therefore, a cure may be an unlikely goal in the most concerning cases.
What are the most recommended treatments?
When diagnosed with prostate cancer, the patient will have the options allowed by their stage of cancer. There are currently different forms of treatment and each of them is adapted to different levels of the disease. Each case must be analysed,” for this reason the treatment includes modalities such as Active Surveillance, in which only frequent monitoring of the disease is carried out; Radical Prostatectomy interventions, currently performed mainly with Robotic technique; Radiotherapy and systemic treatments such as Hormonal and chemotherapy,” said Dr. Paulo Esteves. In this scenario, medicine is increasingly trying to cure previously incurable diseases and, although it has not yet achieved the goal, highly technological alternatives exist. This is the urologist’s score. “Robotic surgery, video laparoscopic surgery with the aid of a robotic system, has brought great progress in minimizing the negative effects of treatment, such as urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction, a great fear for patients who need this treatment. Furthermore, great advances are being produced, to be used in new drugs to treat relapses of the disease or for cases already diagnosed with metastases”, says the specialist.
The diagnosis has a psychological impact. What are the useful strategies to overcome this reality?
Receiving a cancer diagnosis, whatever it may be, has a significant psychological impact on the patient and their family. In the case of cancer that occurs in the prostate, stigma also represents a major challenge, as treatment can alter sexual function. “We must always remember that treatments have evolved a lot and that in addition to the high chances of recovery, the possibilities of complications resulting from treatment have greatly decreased and today, when they occur, they can always be treated satisfactorily, allowing men to enjoy life normally again after this treatment”, says Dr. Paulo Esteves, urologist and andrologist. The greatest challenge of this disease is to raise public awareness to carry out tests that identify any malignant changes in the prostate early. According to the expert, “prostate cancer is one of the most treatable cancers if diagnosed early.” Faced with this scenario, the specialist reports that patients suffering from incurable prostate cancer express regret for the lack of treatment for their health. So the message is: to avoid finding yourself in an impossible situation, take precautions, take regular tests and avoid prejudice.
*Doctor Paulo Esteves AND Urologist surgeon operates mainly in the sectors of uro-oncology, urinary lithiasis (kidney stones), andrology, robotic surgery and the treatment of male sexual disorders.
Source: Terra

Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.