In the health calendar, November has long been designated as Blue November and more recently as Movember . It is a month dedicated to men health , especially to the prevention of prostate cancer . In times of pandemic, it is essential, more than ever, to remember the most common type of cancer in man in Portugal, and the importance of its early diagnosis . The Global Cancer Observatory published last month data for 2018: 6609 new cases of prostate cancer were diagnosed in Portugal, equivalent to 20.4% of all cancer in men; Colorectal cancer (18.8%) and lung cancer (12.3%) follow prostate cancer in importance. Detecting prostate cancer at an early stage allows treatment with a cure rate that can be over 95%. Although prostate cancer takes the first place when it comes to male diseases, we cannot neglect testicular or penis cancer, various sexual dysfunctions, depression, metabolic syndrome, among many others. Take care of your health, go to the doctor Men are not immortal and health facilities remain safe for professionals and patients. So do not hesitate to seek medical attention. The perception of the importance of health care is different between men and women. Men complain less, do fewer medical exams, take less medication, go to fewer medical appointments (and when they do, in most cases they are prompted by their partners or children to seek medical help); Men are hospitalized more often and die earlier than women. Men and women will always be different, it is true, but in this context of a pandemic, many people have been postponing the search for a medical answer to their problems, and this has contributed to a worrying decrease in the diagnosis of new cases of oncological diseases. Due to the characteristics of the male population in regular health surveillance , this issue may be much more worrying than in women. Remember that prostate cancer It is a generally silent and asymptomatic disease, in which the appearance of symptoms can be a sign of advanced disease; Prostate diseases are not aged, although cancer develops mainly after age 65. In general, you should see your doctor if you are over 50 years old. If you have a positive family history, you are black or have a genetic mutation called BRCA2, you should see a urologist from 40 years old. Performing a blood test known as PSA (prostate specific antigen), digital rectal examination, ultrasound or MRI of the prostate can help in the diagnosis and discussion with the urologist is essential to assess the need for a biopsy, which is the only way to get a definitive diagnosis of prostate cancer. If you are diagnosed with prostate cancer do not be discouraged. Advances in medicine have brought new treatment options, where personal preferences are also important. Depending on the staging and aggressiveness of the disease, it can be treated through surgery (radical prostatectomy), radiation therapy (external, brachytherapy), hormonal therapy, chemotherapy or just surveillance. Movember Movember - which brings together the words moustache and November - took root after a joke by friends in Australia to help raise funds for men health promotion projects . Author : Ricardo Borges Meet the urology team from Hospital da Luz network . The content published in the Health Guide is intended for the general public and is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It does not replace individual medical assessment, diagnosis, or personalized clinical advice from a qualified healthcare professional. The content is produced or reviewed by physicians and other healthcare professionals at Hospital da Luz and is based on the knowledge available at the time of publication or the most recent update, as indicated at the beginning of each item.
