PROSTATE CANCER INCIDENCE INCREASING IN PANJAB

By 1 2 1 News Reporter

Chandigarh 25^th September:---- Dr Baldev Singh Aulakh, President, Urological Society of India(North Zone) & Professor of Urology & Head of Kidney transplant department, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana has said in a statement in Chandigarh that every sixth male who is over 60 years of age in Punjab is suffering from Prostate Cancer. This alarming fact was brought to light by Dr Aulakh as part of the Prostate Cancer Awareness drive undertaken to coincide with the month of September which is Prostate Cancer Awareness month. There are some more startling facts: About 1 man in 6 will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime and Prostate cancer incidence is increasing in India by 1% every year. Prostate cancer occurs mainly in older men. Nearly two thirds are diagnosed in men aged 65 or older, and it is rare before age 40. Prostate cancer is the second most frequently diagnosed cancer in men and is a leading cause of cancer death in men.

According to Dr Baldev S Aulakh,that the good news is that the current survival rate for prostate cancer is 97%. A variety of treatment options are available for this malignancy. Cancer of prostate is best treated when it is at an early stage. Even in advanced stage this cancer has best response to the treatment options. Dr Aulakh, adds that Prostatectomy is the surgical removal of all or part of the prostate gland. This can be done by either opening the abdomen or in a minimally invasive manner by laparoscopes."

Dr Aulkah has been fighting an aggressive battle against Prostate Cancer trying to save precious lives. In Sep 2012 a book 'Prostate Problems Know before it is too late'. written by him was released by Punjab CM and is a simply written manual that guides patients, their relatives and general public of Prostate Cancer. A simple test called PSA accompanied with Digital rectal examination (DRE) by a skilled urologist can help diagnose the disease at an early stage. Prostate cancer is most common in North America, Northwestern Europe, Australia, and on Caribbean islands. Dr Aulakh says, "In fact the problem had become so acute in the US that government made a rule making it compulsory for males above 40 years of age to take the diagnostic test for Prostate Cancer. Such a measure is not in place in India but is the need of the hour if one is to diagnose the malignancy at an early stage." The Enlargement of prostate gland and its cancer is a part of ageing process. As the month of September brings prostate cancer into focus, it's time to increase public understanding of the disease, including its prevalence, approaches to screening, prevention, treatment options and resources that offer updated prostate cancer information throughout the year.