DEAR Dr. Fritz,
Hi, doc. I am one of your avid followers for some years now. Please call me Do Do. I just wanted to know about prostate cancer. This had been giving me the creeps these days as my father was diagnosed of this disease last January and just recently, he passed away. What really causes it? Are there jobs related to it? Can diet be possibly related to it? What are the ways that I could do to lessen my risk, considering that cancer runs in my family? Please tell me how.
Thank you very much. God bless.
Do Do
*****
Dear Do Do,
Before going any further, let me talk about prostate first. The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system. This is what makes most of the semen that carries the sperm. This is a walnut-sized gland that is located beneath the bladder.
And now, about prostate cancer-this is a major health concern. The disease is rare before age 50. This kind of cancer is common in American men, especially African-American men. The good news is - this is not that common here in Asia.
Prostate cancer is usually a very slow growing cancer. Oftentimes, this would not cause any symptoms until it is in the advanced stage. Most men with prostate cancer die of other causes. They many never know that they have the disease but once prostate cancer starts to grow quickly or spreads outside the prostate, then it becomes dangerous.
If prostate cancer is found in its early stages where it is still confined in the prostate gland, it can be treated and the chances for survival are good. But, when it has spread beyond the prostate and starts creeping to the bones, lymph nodes, and lungs, this would no longer be curable.
However, it may be controlled for many years with advances in treatment today. I think your father got the aggressive type of prostate cancer in its late stage, such that he didn’t survive for long after the diagnosis.
So let’s get to your questions. Now, what causes prostate cancer?
The truth is, it is really uncertain what causes prostate cancer.
As there are still a lot of things to talk about regarding prostate cancer and your questions about it, let me then continue this in my next issue since we don’t have a lot of space for all of them for now. Until then!
Dr. Fritz
(Dr. Fritz Legarde Espedilla is an aesthetic dermatologist and surgeon and a clinical sexologist. She is also trained in hypnotherapy and Medical Acupuncture. She has been in the broadcast media for more than a decade and has written a book based on her 15 year stint with her radio program, “Healthy is Sexy Secrets ni Dr. Fritz.” She is also a faculty in a College of Pharmacy. For your questions, you may send them to Dear Dr. Fritz, c/o Sunstar-Davao Publishing Inc., Ebro-Pelayo Building, Jacinto St., Davao City, (former Department of Foreign Affairs office), across Ateneo de Davao University and beside Holy Child School of Davao, or you e-mail them to dokfritz@yahoo.com. If you don’t wish your letter to be published, we regret that we cannot answer them. Thank you for your understanding.)