Although in Cuba medical attention is characterized by its preventive character, oncological diseases – among them prostate cancer – continue to be one of the main causes of death in the province of Holguin.
This June 11, World Prostate Cancer Day, is a date intended to raise awareness among the male population about the need for early diagnosis of this ailment, which has a higher incidence in men aged 60 and over.
Precisely, age is a risk factor to be taken into account, and in Holguin the alarm is triggered because it is one of the Cuban provinces with the highest rate of population aging. At the moment more than one hundred thousand inhabitants are older adults of the male sex.
Therefore, if we take into account that there is a directly proportional relation between age and the risk of developing prostate cancer, we understand then that the number of Holguín’s older adults alerts on the high probability of the increasing trend of morbimortality for this cause.
Of course, other essential elements that should be monitored even more from Primary Health Care are genetic factors and first-line family history, as well as education and promotion of healthy lifestyles and nutritional habits.
However, these actions are more effective if we pay attention to our body’s signals that indicate changes in its normal functioning and thus avoid going to the doctor late when the chances of a cure decrease.
The prevention and early localization of prostate tumors are important health challenges in this northeastern province because in recent years, statistically, it is the most frequent type of cancer and the cause of the greatest number of deaths in the male sex.
Despite the technological advances applied to the diagnosis, care and treatment of this disease, unfortunately, its detection usually occurs in advanced stages.
Likewise, sociocultural patterns still affect the refusal of many men to undergo preventive examinations such as digital rectal examination.
Others are unaware that screening with prostate-specific antigen, known as PSA, through laboratory analysis, prevents and reduces death from prostate cancer.
Of course, the shortage of medical supplies that currently affects the country often compromises this preventive action.
However, despite this reality, it is advisable for the male population over 50 years of age not to neglect regular preventive medical check-ups to avoid suffering from this type of cancer, the most common in men.
Late diagnosis prevents an increase in survival, leads to more invasive treatments and causes difficulties in medical care with significant personal, social and economic impacts.
Personal responsibility must go hand in hand with the efforts of the Cuban Health System to increase survival, improve the quality of life and decrease the mortality of patients suffering from this type of cancer.
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