A urologist specializing in fertility, Dr. Yaw Amoah, has advised men to take regular screening for prostate cancer more seriously. He emphasized that prostate cancer not only affects fertility but can also be life-threatening. Dr. Amoah explained that after surgery to manage prostate cancer, a man may be unable to naturally father children, even though he may still be able to have sexual intercourse.
In a chat with The Mirror in Accra last Wednesday to create awareness about prostate cancer, Dr Amoah, who works with the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and consults at Mustard Health Systems in Kotobabi, Accra, said the cancer, when diagnosed early, was easier to manage and that could only be achieved through screening.
He explained that if a man had surgery as part of treatment for prostate cancer, he was unable to have children the natural way except through In Vitro Fertilisation by taking sperms from the testis. Asked about the extent to which prostate cancer was serious in the country, Dr Amoah said: “It is a very big problem. Each year, one in every four black men is diagnosed with it.”
On the causes, Dr Amoah said even though the exact cause was not known, the risk factors included age, race and family history, explaining that the risk rose as men grew older and prostate cancer was more common in black men. The symptoms of the condition include trouble urinating, erectile dysfunction and blood in urine. On preventive measures, the urologist said regular screening remained key since any abnormality would be seen early for medical attention.
By: Doreen Hammond
