Prostate cancer remains the most reported form of cancer among men locally – CAN
The Cancer Association of Namibia (CAN) launched its annual November awareness and education campaign on 1 November to create awareness on men’s health and prostate cancer.
CAN in a statement said that prostate cancer remains the most reported cancer among Namibian men for the fifth consecutive year, with more than 360 cases of prostate cancer diagnosed during 2017, making it the highest recorded number per annum since the inception of the National Cancer Registry at CAN since 1994.
“During 2017, a record total of 1 760 men were diagnosed with a form of cancer in the country, in comparison to previous years, 2014-1 542, 2015-1 651 and 2016-1 664 approximately 100 more cases per annum have been the biggest annual jump n case numbers since 2014,” they added.
The Association informed that the top three most diagnosed male cancer in Namibia are prostate cancer at 56,8 per 100,000 population, oral cancer at 15,2% per 100,000 population and Lymphoma at 10,4% per 100 000 population members.
“Colo-rectal cancer and Kaposi Sarcoma have also been more diagnosed during the last 3 monitoring years, than previous reporting period and the age specif incidence rates of prostate cancer diagnosis in Namibia support the importance for men from the age of 40 years to already start with annual screening as opposed to later in some developed nations,” they said.
Chief Executive Officer of CAN, Rolf Hansen said they, therefore, encourage men with a family history of prostate cancer and who are in the susceptible age range to go for annual screening, whether by PSA-test or a rectal examination.
Prostate cancer affects the prostate gland, the gland that produces some of the fluid in semen and plays a role in urine control in men. The prostate gland is located below the bladder and in front of the rectum.
