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‘Quiet and mild’ prostate cancer becomes a ‘virulent’ when metastasized to other organs
Input: 2022-09-12 18:17:31
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By Park Tae-woo, staff reporter wideneye@busan.com
90% or more can be cured when detected early
If it metastasizes to bones, it will drop by 50%.
The incidence is particularly high in men over the age of 50.
Regular check-up is required once a year even if there are no symptoms
Prostate cancer is often discovered only following the cancer has advanced to a very advanced stage. Professor Taek-Sang Kim of the Department of Urology is performing prostate cancer surgery. Provided by Kosin University Gospel Hospital
Prostate cancer, often referred to as ‘father’s cancer’ because it affects men over 50, is the fourth most common male cancer following lung cancer, stomach cancer, and colorectal cancer. In Korea, the average annual increase is 13% due to the influence of westernized eating habits and aging population. Although there is a perception that prostate cancer, which has no early symptoms and progresses slowly, is a ‘mild cancer’ with a good prognosis, once it metastasizes to other organs, the survival rate drops below 50%. As such, metastasis determines the survival rate of prostate cancer patients, so early detection and prevention are important. The Korean Urological Association has designated September every year as Prostate Cancer Awareness Month to raise awareness of prostate cancer, and is running the ‘Blue Ribbon’ campaign, similar to the pink ribbon that symbolizes women’s breast cancer.
Half of the patients are found following stage 3
As a result of a survey of prostate cancer patients conducted last year by the Korean Urology Foundation and the Korean Society of Urology and Oncology, one in two Korean prostate cancer patients (47.1%) said that they had been diagnosed with prostate cancer at an advanced stage 3 or higher. Prostate cancer was detected when the tumor had already progressed outside the prostate or metastasized to other organs.
This is because there are no noticeable symptoms in the early stages of prostate cancer. Professor Kim Taek-sang of the Department of Urology at Kosin University Gospel Hospital said, “In the early stages of prostate cancer, there are no symptoms. Early prostate cancer usually develops a little further away from the urethra, so symptoms such as difficulty in urinating rarely appear. ” he explained.
As prostate cancer progresses gradually, various symptoms of urination appear, such as not urinating well, a thin stem, and a feeling of residual urination. As you approach the terminal stage, you may experience pain as if your bones are ringing when you sit on a chair, which does not get better with time. Cancer cells may also invade the urethra or bladder, causing blood to come out in the urine.
Prostate cancer does not progress rapidly, but metastasizes well to bones or lymph nodes. Once it progresses to bone, severe bone pain may require continuous use of narcotic painkillers, and bone may become weak and fractures may occur. In addition, metastasis to the spine is good, and in severe cases, paralysis of the lower body may occur.
If you are over 50, you should get regular checkups.
Prostate cancer is more than 90% curable if detected early. According to 2018 cancer registry statistics, the 5-year relative survival rate (probability of cancer patients surviving 5 years compared to the general population) when the prostate cancer is a local prostate cancer stage that does not leave the prostate is 102.6%, and locally advanced prostate cancer outside the prostate In the case of , it was 98.6%. However, if the cancer has progressed to a significant level and metastasized to other organs, the survival rate dropped sharply to 44.9%. For prostate cancer, early detection and treatment are important, so it is important to pay attention to regular examinations starting from the age of 50, when the risk of occurrence rises rapidly.
Prostate cancer is usually diagnosed with abnormal findings in the prostate cancer marker (PSA) test. This is to determine the blood level of PSA, a tumor marker for prostate cancer, and can be known through a simple test from blood collected from a vein in the arm.
Professor Kim Taek-sang said, “If the PSA level is less than 4.0 ng/mL, it is normal. If the PSA level is above 4.0, it is possible to suspect the development of prostate cancer, and if it is 10 or more, the probability of prostate cancer is higher. emphasized.
Although the cause of prostate cancer is not yet clearly known, old age, family history, obesity, and high-fat diet are considered to be major factors that increase the risk. According to the current status of prostate cancer in Korea in 2017, the incidence of prostate cancer is higher in men with chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia than in normal men. appear.
Professor Kim said, “About 10% of patients with prostate cancer have a family history, and if a father or brother has prostate cancer, the incidence is three times higher than that of the general public. , if you have a family history, it is better to get regular checkups from the age of 40.”
Robotic surgery that preserves major functions is in the spotlight
Prostate cancer is treated with surgery, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, and chemotherapy. There are three types of surgery: laparotomy, laparoscopic surgery, and da Vinci robot surgery.
The advantages of robotic surgery are that there is little risk of bleeding or infection during the operation, recovery of urinary incontinence is quick, and sexual activity can be performed even following surgery because it does not touch the sexual nerves. As the quality of life in old age becomes more important due to the extension of life expectancy, robotic surgery that preserves key functions is in the spotlight. However, the disadvantage is that the operation cost is relatively expensive compared to open surgery.
Those who are unable to undergo general anesthesia due to cardiovascular disease or stroke should be treated with non-resection, such as radiation therapy. This is the case in 20-30% of all prostate cancer patients. Nasal resection takes longer than surgery and has less therapeutic effect, but the latest technologies such as ‘high-intensity ultrasound focusing (HIFU)’ and ‘radioisotope implantation (brachytherapy)’ have recently been introduced and the treatment effect is good. is losing HIFU uses high-intensity ultrasound to heat the prostate to get rid of cancer cells, and Brachytherapy injects radioactive isotopes into the prostate evenly and gradually kills cancer cells over a period of regarding a year.
Professor Kim said, “HIFU is a relatively simple procedure and has a similar therapeutic effect to laparotomy.
By Park Tae-woo, staff reporter wideneye@busan.com