Singapore, Jul 2, 2009: Singapore Urological Association (SUA) and Singapore Cancer Society are observing July as Prostate Awareness Month, starting from July 1 with an objective to call on men 50-75 years old to go for prostate health checks.

 

As part of the awareness month, two public forums on prostate health, one in English, and the second in Chinese, will be held on July 11, to inform the men on the early warning signs and the innovative treatment options available to them. It is also to encourage the public to check on their prostate regularly and to seek early diagnosis and treatment.

 

Dr Ng Chee Kwan, consultant Urologist at Tan Tock Seng Hospital and also the chairperson, Prostate Awareness Month said, “For the first time this year, the prostate health checks will reach out to the community and be available island wide at 200 General Practitioners (GPs) and specialist clinics, instead of being centralized at hospitals as it had been in the past. This year’s programme will also be more comprehensive, with not just the serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) tests as in the past years, but combined for the first time ever, with a doctor’s consultation and urine labstix testing.

 

“Those consulting GPs under this programme need only pay $50 for the whole package, inclusive of follow-up consultation. Those who prefer to see a private specialist need pay only $100 for the same package (almost 50% subsidized). The comprehensive test this year is to ensure each man gets face time with a doctor on top of the lab tests for urine and blood readings. This is the best way to detect cases of prostate enlargement and potential risk of prostate cancer or other men’s health issues,” said Dr Ng.

 

Dr Michael Wong, President of the SUA said that with Singapore’s population fast ageing, there will be more men requiring medical attention and treatment for their enlarged prostate. As men increase in age, their risk of developing prostate cancer increases. Men with a single first-degree relative (father, brother or son) with a history of prostate cancer are twice as likely to develop the disease. The risk is highest in men whose family members were diagnosed before age 65.

 

Over the years prostate cancer has leaped from fifth place to the third most common cancer among Singapore males, and the incidence has been increasing steadily over the last 35 years. He said that despite the Prostate Awareness Month programme being held in Singapore for the past four years, there is still low awareness about prostate enlargement. Some men don’t even know where their prostate is located.