This year’s Prostate Cancer Month has been launched with a call on men, particularly those over 40 years, to prioritise early screening for the disease. 

The month of September is dedicated to the campaign of breaking the silence surrounding prostate cancer through education, screening, and community engagements.

It was launched in Accra by the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MoH).

The event, which was on the theme: “Early detection: Saves lives,” was sponsored by Johnson & Johnson.

The Head of the Urology Unit at UGMC, Dr Mary Monney-Bortey, said it was crucial for men to undergo regular screening to prevent late detection and complications.

She said two key methods for detecting prostate cancer — the Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test and digital rectal exam were simple, affordable, and crucial for early detection.

Testing

The Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Professor Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, in a speech read on his behalf by the Deputy Director-General, Dr Caroline Reindorf Amissah, said fewer than 20 per cent of men above 50 years in the country had ever undergone a simple PSA test.

He said there was a high mortality rate of prostate cancer in the country, with 80 per cent of cases being detected in advanced stages, adding that more than 50 per cent of men in the country had little or no knowledge of prostate cancer.

Prof. Akoriyea said the GHS would be expanding screening through wellness clinics, including leveraging the free primary healthcare initiative, to promote preventive care.

He said a cancer registry to capture the data of incidents, survival and outcomes of prostate cancer to ensure better planning and accountability would also be established.

Leading cause of death

The Chief Executive Officer of UGMC, Dr Abdul-Samed Tanko, said prostate cancer was the second leading cause of cancer deaths among men in the country.

He attributed this to a late state of diagnosis, with about 85 per cent of cancers found in men in the advanced stages.

Higher risks

The Vice-President of the Ghana Association of Urological Surgeons, Professor Matthew Yamoah Kyei, said Africans had a higher risk of prostate cancer, with one in five men developing it compared to one in eight in other parts of the world.

He said early presentation of prostate cancer was lower in Africa, with only 40 per cent presenting early as compared to 90 per cent globally.

Prof. Kyei also said that 60 per cent of cases that presented late often resulted in death.

He said only 51 urologists were available, and 18 MRIs were used in the treatment of prostate cancer across the country.

Prof. Kyei gave an assurance that the country has the necessary resources and expertise to manage prostate cancer effectively.