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One in every four black men will get prostate cancer, according to Prostate Cancer UK, a charity organisation aimed at creating awareness on prostate cancer and supporting men with the condition. Eighty-five per cent of men who are at risk of getting the disease are also not aware of their situation, the charity organisation notes. In Ghana, an estimated 921 of new cases of prostate cancer are recorded per year, with 758 estimated deaths per year. According to a survey conducted by the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Ghana has also exceeded global prostate limits, as the country records 200 cases out of every 100,000 men as against 170 worldwide. With these staggering figures about the disease which is projected to become the leading cancer in the world by 2030, DAILY GUIDE�s reporter, Jamila Akweley Okertchiri, explores the condition that plagues men and causes the death of many, especially in developing countries. Below is the interview conducted with Prostate Cancer Specialist, Alt Dr Raphael Nyarkotey Obu, a registered Naturopathic doctor with the alternative Health Practice Council Ghana, the CEO of De Men�s Clinic & Prostate Research Lab and the founder of Men�s Health Foundation Ghana. What Is Prostate Cancer? Prostate cancer is also known as carcinoma of the prostate. This condition is caused when cancer develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system responsible for producing and secreting alkaline fluids during ejaculation. The cancer cells may spread from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly the bones and lymph nodes. How Do Men Get Prostate Cancer? There are two steps that can trigger prostate cancer and three well-established risk factors for prostate cancer: black race, family history and age. Unfortunately, we cannot change our race or our parents nor can we stop time. Given this reality, there is much interest in identifying modifiable risk factors for prostate cancer. During step one, the cells are exposed to factors such as viruses or toxins, which cause or trigger the unusual or uncontrolled cell growth. During step two, other factors such as diet, hormones, lifestyle and environmental influences promote the growth and development of the abnormal cells and could be the causes of prostate cancer. Is Aging A Possible Cause? Prostate disease is not the natural course of things as a man ages. In fact, some go as far as saying that aging is the cause. But that observation is not as causal as they claim. Worse of all, prostate diseases now happen to younger men in black communities. So are these young men also aging? It is not an old man�s disease anymore. We need to examine more closely what happens to men as they get older. Are There Signs And Symptoms Of Prostate Cancer? Initially it has no symptoms; however in later stages it can cause difficulty in urinating, blood in the urine, or pain in the pelvis, back or when urinating. With the advent of PSA screening, patients report the following local symptoms: urinary frequency, urinary urgency, decreased urine stream, hematuria, weight loss and loss of appetite, bone pain�with or without pathologic fracture�lower extremity pain and edema and uremic symptoms. What Are The Treatment Options? The treatment of prostate cancer depends on the stage of the cancer. When the cancer is confined to the prostate gland, a radical prostatectomy is most often recommended by urologists. This surgery involves the removal of the entire prostate gland and capsule and surrounding structures such as the seminal vesicles. The surgery results in considerable pain post-operatively, as well as many complications. Most patients will be permanently sexually impotent following the surgery, and 5 to 30% will suffer from some degree of urinary incontinence. Recovery time, which is rarely complete, takes at least six months. Although a high cure rate is claimed, the question is, �what would be the survival rate of these patients if they had no procedure whatsoever?� External beam radiation is usually recommended for a stage when the patient is elderly or frail or would be a poor surgical risk. During and after this treatment, at least 30 to 50% of patients experience inflammation of the bladder or rectum with diarrhoea and other bowel symptoms, urinary retention and swelling of the penis and scrotum. Long term effects include sexual impotence in 40 to 75 per cent and a continuation of the acute side effects in less than 10 per cent of the patients. The problems with surgery and radiation have led to alternative conventional approaches. The conventional treatment usually recommended for stage A or B prostate cancer is usually either a radical prostatectomy or external beam radiation. The appropriate conventional treatment for stage C or D is usually an anti-hormonal treatment. How Does One Live With Prostate Cancer? The news concerning prostate cancer is not reassuring, but that doesn�t mean people can�t take steps to reduce their risk of developing prostate cancer or dying of the disease. The first step is to get screened for prostate cancer, beginning at age 40 or 35, if you have a family history of the disease. Although the typical age to begin screening for prostate cancer is 50 for men of other races, black men should begin at least five years early and get a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, ultrasound to assess prostate volume and a digital rectal examination (DRE). Since prostate cancer is more aggressive in black men, the sooner the disease is detected and treated, the better. Black men can also supplement with vitamin D if their vitamin D level is low. They must practice good healthy habits. A first step in making way for natural health choices is to stop eating too much poor-quality food. Make an effort to avoid processed and high sugar foods. Eat fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, drink green tea, and get moving. They will feel better, possibly lose weight, and reduce their risk of prostate cancer and other health problems common in American men. Recommendation I recommend a multi-disciplinary approach to prostate cancer. Doctors should discuss the elements of an alternative cancer therapy to patients, including our avoid list, dietary changes, oral nutritional supplements, possible hormonal balancing, possible vitamin and mineral, an exercise programme, fresh air and some sunlight exposure, stress management training if necessary, detoxification, naturopathic medicine, and possibly various other immune enhancing activities such as chiropractic, massage, acupuncture�which the patient is asked to reduce or eliminate as much as possible. Other things to avoid include exposure to tobacco�whether active or passive�caffeine, alcohol, refined sugar and starch, hydrogenated fats, impure water including unfiltered chlorinated or fluoridated water, artificial chemicals including pesticides, preservatives and artificial sweeteners. The dietary programme prescribes the consumption of organic whole foods, with an emphasis on plants, including fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, some nuts and seeds, fresh organic vegetable and fruit juices and modest amounts of animal proteins, including fish, organic eggs and chicken. Final Words Prostate cancer is not a death sentence but you must know that about 30 per cent of prostate cancer after treatment recurs; and as for enlarge prostate, you just have to try and leave with it because most of these herbal medicines will not have any significant impact on your prostate health. Most of them contain only one single ingredient. That is not enough; and that is why they are finding it difficult. Prostate health encompasses three areas�from hormonal, urinary systems to general well being. And most of these supplements support only one aspect of prostate health and leave the other. Try to improve on your diet, practice good lifestyle and drink a lot of green tea or come to us at Men�s Health Foundation. Your sex life after prostate cancer will not be same, but you can improve upon it with naturopathic therapies. SIDE BAR >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Men�s Health Foundation The Men�s Health Foundation is a charity organisation which believes that the opportunity to make an informed choice is currently outside the reach of most men. The charity has therefore established De Men�s Clinic & Prostate Research Lab to offer free prostate cancer screening for men concerned about prostate cancer and those in the high risk group. The screening is done every Saturday using PSA testing and ultrasound scan to assess prostate volume. Before screening, men are counselled first and given balanced information�just like the UK practises�about the pros and cons of the PSA test for prostate cancer screening. The clinic also attends to men diagnosed with prostate cancer who need more information regarding treatment options and the use of complementary medicine to improve their rate of survival and side effects of conventional treatments. The charity has called for a specific policy on prostate cancer screening for Ghanaian men. It is of the view that a universal free access prostate cancer screening, using the PSA test, will reduce the mortality rate in the country and early prostate cancer will be detected and treated. The PCRM provides high quality information to enable men to decide whether or not to have the PSA test based on the available evidence about risks and benefits. After considering this information and in discussion with their GPs, men over 50 who choose to have the test may do so free of charge on the NHIS.