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10-06-2016, 04:50 PM
An honorable member of the Coffee Shop Has Just Posted the Following:
http://health.asiaone.com/health/bod...rostate-cancer (http://health.asiaone.com/health/body-mind/poor-sex-life-biggest-fear-men-facing-prostate-cancer)
Poor sex life the biggest fear for men facing prostate cancer
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SINGAPORE - The prospect of a reduced sex life as a result of erectile dysfunction (ED) is one of the most wrenching hidden fears of ageing men in Singapore facing prostate cancer, a new survey revealed.
This is of concern as these hidden trepidations cause far too many of men to delay seeking medical attention until the cancer has spread.
Prostate cancer is the third most common cancer among men in Singapore and the risk of the cancer rises after the age of 50.
By the age of 70, 70 per cent of prostates in men harbour either early or definite evidence of cancer in some form or other, said*President of the Society for Men's Health (SMH) Dr Peter Lim.
Some of these are so slow growing that they may not be detected in the lifetime left of the patient, while others may grow more aggressively, said Dr Lim.
Unfortunately, it appears that there is a considerable time gap between the diagnosis of early stage prostate cancer and the treatment of the advancement of prostate cancer, he said.
"This cancer is very slow progressing. Yet our men are still presenting themselves at the advanced stage, which means, they are in denial of their early symptoms for a very long time," he said.
When diagnosed and treated early, prostate cancer patients can choose to undergo surgical removal by open operation or keyhole robotic endoscopic surgery.
For patients in the advanced stage, treatment options include hormonal therapy, medical castration therapy or chemotherapy. Palliative external beam radiotherapy can also be offered.
While erectile dysfunction is a real prospect if the patient has to undergo open surgery, the risk is not as great if the patient opts for robotic surgery or radiotherapy.
Medical castration also does not mean the end of a patient's sex life in that medication is merely used to suppress the production of testosterone and the effects are theoretically reversible if it's not maintained for too long.
The survey, titled 'Singapore's Prostate Cancer Journey' and conducted by IMS Health, also found that while men were able to confide in their loved ones about their concerns following their prostate cancer diagnosis, they found it more difficult to speak about ED and incontinence associated with the cancer.
Most could not unburden, even to their spouse. One of the respondents said: "I couldn't even discuss this (ED) with my wife. She used to think that I am tired or weak after surgery. But I could never tell her the truth."
Another said: ""I was desperate. I would say in sheer stupidity, I don't care about this cancer as much as I care about my sex life."
The survey also found that there are few external support groups for prostate cancer patients available in Singapore. There is one remaining support group at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, and it is facing dwindling or poor attendance.
Part of it seems to be the unwillingness of men to open up about their prostate cancer diagnosis. Patient support groups said they have found it difficult to get men to regularly attend their meetings and to share their concerns.
In addition, the survey found that patients often react with disbelief or succumb to despair when faced with the diagnosis of cancer.
Said one urologist participating in the survey: "Sometimes, it is hard to break the news to the younger patients because they will react in total disbelief. With older patients, it's more the problem of dejection and hard to motivate."
Dr Lim said: "There is just far too much gloom and doom among our ageing men after their prostate cancer diagnosis. This is not to say that we should discount their fears of cancer, chemo and castration because these fears and concerns are real."
"But at the same time, our ageing men must also help themselves by becoming bolder and better educated and informed about prostate cancer," he said.
Prevention and treatment
Dr Lim advised men between the ages of 45 to 50 years to go for regular medical check-ups once every two to three years.
If there is a family history of prostate cancer, doctors generally advise them to start their medical check-ups from 35 years of age, and go for one every year.
This is necessary because prostate cancer often has few or no forthcoming symptoms, said Dr Lewis Liew, Consultant Urologist of Gleneagles Hospital and EXCO Member of Society for Men’s Health.
"Urinary symptoms may be present but may or may not be associated with prostate cancer,*as benign prostate enlargement also can coexist with prostate cancer at a later age," he said.
There are no other signs linked to prostate cancer until the advanced stage, where the cancer has*metastasised or spread to the bones or other organs.
When it reaches that stage, patients may experience anemia, lethargy, weight loss, bone pain or loss of appetite.
To prevent getting prostate cancer altogether, Dr Lim advised healthy living with regular exercise. This, he said, has been proven to be preventive or able to slow down the potential onset of these tumours.
These good lifestyle habits can also improve the treatment outcomes for those who are diagnosed with prostate*cancer, he added.
The qualitative survey commissioned by Janssen, a multinational pharmaceutical company, interviewed six advanced-stage prostate cancer patients, aged from 66 to 85 years, and six caregivers and doctors.
The survey is part of SMH's public education activities to raise awareness about prostate cancer and the need for early and regular health checks.
[email protected]
Click here to view the whole thread at www.sammyboy.com (http://www.sammyboy.com/showthread.php?231099-Accordingly-GCT-LHL-got-V-POOR-SEX-LIFE-most-Buay-Kan!&goto=newpost).
http://health.asiaone.com/health/bod...rostate-cancer (http://health.asiaone.com/health/body-mind/poor-sex-life-biggest-fear-men-facing-prostate-cancer)
Poor sex life the biggest fear for men facing prostate cancer
FacebookTwitterShareWhatsApp
SINGAPORE - The prospect of a reduced sex life as a result of erectile dysfunction (ED) is one of the most wrenching hidden fears of ageing men in Singapore facing prostate cancer, a new survey revealed.
This is of concern as these hidden trepidations cause far too many of men to delay seeking medical attention until the cancer has spread.
Prostate cancer is the third most common cancer among men in Singapore and the risk of the cancer rises after the age of 50.
By the age of 70, 70 per cent of prostates in men harbour either early or definite evidence of cancer in some form or other, said*President of the Society for Men's Health (SMH) Dr Peter Lim.
Some of these are so slow growing that they may not be detected in the lifetime left of the patient, while others may grow more aggressively, said Dr Lim.
Unfortunately, it appears that there is a considerable time gap between the diagnosis of early stage prostate cancer and the treatment of the advancement of prostate cancer, he said.
"This cancer is very slow progressing. Yet our men are still presenting themselves at the advanced stage, which means, they are in denial of their early symptoms for a very long time," he said.
When diagnosed and treated early, prostate cancer patients can choose to undergo surgical removal by open operation or keyhole robotic endoscopic surgery.
For patients in the advanced stage, treatment options include hormonal therapy, medical castration therapy or chemotherapy. Palliative external beam radiotherapy can also be offered.
While erectile dysfunction is a real prospect if the patient has to undergo open surgery, the risk is not as great if the patient opts for robotic surgery or radiotherapy.
Medical castration also does not mean the end of a patient's sex life in that medication is merely used to suppress the production of testosterone and the effects are theoretically reversible if it's not maintained for too long.
The survey, titled 'Singapore's Prostate Cancer Journey' and conducted by IMS Health, also found that while men were able to confide in their loved ones about their concerns following their prostate cancer diagnosis, they found it more difficult to speak about ED and incontinence associated with the cancer.
Most could not unburden, even to their spouse. One of the respondents said: "I couldn't even discuss this (ED) with my wife. She used to think that I am tired or weak after surgery. But I could never tell her the truth."
Another said: ""I was desperate. I would say in sheer stupidity, I don't care about this cancer as much as I care about my sex life."
The survey also found that there are few external support groups for prostate cancer patients available in Singapore. There is one remaining support group at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, and it is facing dwindling or poor attendance.
Part of it seems to be the unwillingness of men to open up about their prostate cancer diagnosis. Patient support groups said they have found it difficult to get men to regularly attend their meetings and to share their concerns.
In addition, the survey found that patients often react with disbelief or succumb to despair when faced with the diagnosis of cancer.
Said one urologist participating in the survey: "Sometimes, it is hard to break the news to the younger patients because they will react in total disbelief. With older patients, it's more the problem of dejection and hard to motivate."
Dr Lim said: "There is just far too much gloom and doom among our ageing men after their prostate cancer diagnosis. This is not to say that we should discount their fears of cancer, chemo and castration because these fears and concerns are real."
"But at the same time, our ageing men must also help themselves by becoming bolder and better educated and informed about prostate cancer," he said.
Prevention and treatment
Dr Lim advised men between the ages of 45 to 50 years to go for regular medical check-ups once every two to three years.
If there is a family history of prostate cancer, doctors generally advise them to start their medical check-ups from 35 years of age, and go for one every year.
This is necessary because prostate cancer often has few or no forthcoming symptoms, said Dr Lewis Liew, Consultant Urologist of Gleneagles Hospital and EXCO Member of Society for Men’s Health.
"Urinary symptoms may be present but may or may not be associated with prostate cancer,*as benign prostate enlargement also can coexist with prostate cancer at a later age," he said.
There are no other signs linked to prostate cancer until the advanced stage, where the cancer has*metastasised or spread to the bones or other organs.
When it reaches that stage, patients may experience anemia, lethargy, weight loss, bone pain or loss of appetite.
To prevent getting prostate cancer altogether, Dr Lim advised healthy living with regular exercise. This, he said, has been proven to be preventive or able to slow down the potential onset of these tumours.
These good lifestyle habits can also improve the treatment outcomes for those who are diagnosed with prostate*cancer, he added.
The qualitative survey commissioned by Janssen, a multinational pharmaceutical company, interviewed six advanced-stage prostate cancer patients, aged from 66 to 85 years, and six caregivers and doctors.
The survey is part of SMH's public education activities to raise awareness about prostate cancer and the need for early and regular health checks.
[email protected]
Click here to view the whole thread at www.sammyboy.com (http://www.sammyboy.com/showthread.php?231099-Accordingly-GCT-LHL-got-V-POOR-SEX-LIFE-most-Buay-Kan!&goto=newpost).