Men’s Health Foundation To Kick Start Prostate Cancer Awareness Campaign

'Don't wait. Check your prostate. Do it man', is the tag line for this year's Men's Health Foundation Ghana prostate cancer awareness campaign to kick start in Prostate Cancer awareness month in September this year.

Men's Health Foundation Ghana a member of the Global Prostate Cancer Alliance will be embarking on a public education campaign to empower men with vital information about prostate cancer and their overall well-being.

Prostate cancer has been the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the Ghana, and is the second most frequently diagnosed cancer in the world.

According to Raphael Obu speaking in connection with the World Cancer day, men die from prostate cancer each year and Ghana has one of the highest prostate cancer mortality rates but Ghanaian men are ignorant about the disease

According to Raphael Obu prostate cancer is the abnormal growth of cells in the prostate. The prostate is a walnut size gland that is a part of the male reproductive system which is located at the bottom of the bladder.

"We have decided to embark on this campaign for the first time to raise awareness and to educate and motivate the population about this disease. Most men are not open to be screened for the disease for a number of reasons. Some men are afraid of the initial examination and some are afraid because of the number of myths associated with this form of cancer,” Raphael Obu said. Hence Men's Health Foundation has established a free prostate cancer screening centre at Dodowa-Akoto House.

He reasoned that early detection is key and men should not be afraid to do the examination that can be performed by a general practitioner or a urologist, (a doctor who specializes in treating urinary, bladder, and prostate issues). If you are worried about Prostate Cancer talk to us started Raphael Obu: 0541090045.

He also talks about CANCER GENES. He said in his presentation

Altered gene products will promote cell growth (tumour)

Proto-oncogene is a normal gene associated with regulation of cell growth – Oncogenes will promote cell growth in tumours

Tumour suppressor genes (TSG) are responsible for protection – usually mutated when cancer develops

Apoptosis – is programmed cell death of an abnormal cell

The balance of these three processes will affect whether a tumour develops or not and is generally an 'unknown' for most people, but some may have a greater than average chance of developing cancer….

INHERITED CANCER RISK
Most common cancers occur sporadically caused by a progressive accumulation of mutations of oncogenes and TSGs

These changes are known as somatic
However even commonly occurring cancers show a tendency to aggregate in families

It is estimated that 25-35% of cancers have an inheritable component.

This may be non-specific or specific…
Germline mutations have been identified with a high risk of developing cancer – this is when a faulty gene is directly inherited

About 1% of all cancers are caused by the inheritance of a high-risk genetic mutation

Examples
BRAC1 in breast cancer
RBI retinoblastoma