Prostate Cancer Rates Increases as Life Expectancy Rises

Oncologists and Urologists said that negligence to treat tumor in its early stage has increased the chances of fatalities in patients with prostate cancer, according to India Times.

Though prostate cancer is not common in India, experts claim that it is the second largest cause of the death in males after lung cancer. September is observed as Prostate Cancer Awareness Month worldwide every year. Suraj Pawar, city based oncologist and director of Kolhapur Cancer Centre, says that they get almost three or four cases every month. "The disease occurs mostly in the males above 60 years age.

The cases are increasing as the average life expectancy has improved in the past few decades. Though prostate cancer is curable in its early stage, there are no symptoms in this stage and patients tend to neglect minor problems." Pawar further said the most prostate cancers are slow growing as compared to other forms of cancer. "In the advanced stage of the prostate cancer, the infected cells metastasize or spread from the prostate to other parts of the body especially the bones and lymph nodes.

Most of the cases are referred to the urologists due to the urinary symptoms of the disease. It causes pain or difficulty in urinating, burning sensation or obstruction during urinating." Most of the patients with the symptoms of the prostate cancer initially visit urologist considering it as a problem of the urinary system.

City based urologist Rajiv Kore says, "There is no specific cause or external factor leading to prostate cancer.  However, age, family history and diet can be considered as the cause of the prostate cancer in most of the patients. We have about eight to ten cases of the prostate cancer every month and about 70% of these cases are in the last stage of the cancer. The fatality rate due to the prostate cancer is around 20% among the advanced cases."