Nowadays, it can be tough to determine if and when you should undergo a prostate cancer test in Singapore. See, screening recommendations have gone through significant shifts over the years. So it’s no wonder that myths and half-truths about prostate cancer are all over the internet. Hence, in this article, we would be debunking 5 myths about prostate cancer tests.
1. Every man should be screened for prostate cancer
This is not true. Determining whether you should be screened depends on a variety of risk factors, including age, overall health, race, family history of the disease, and personal preferences. All men should, however, talk with a cancer management centre about the pros and cons of screening to make an informed decision about testing.
2. You always need to be treated if you have prostate cancer
In many cases, prostate cancer is slow-growing cancer and may not cause any problems during a man’s lifetime. Treatments for prostate cancer can sometimes cause undesirable side effects, such as incontinence and impotence, which is why some men opt for an approach called active surveillance to delay treatment or forgo it entirely.
In this surveillance, a doctor monitors cancer with repeat biopsies, physical exams, and imaging tests to make sure the cancer isn’t growing. Men will only be treated if cancer starts to grow or shows signs of becoming more aggressive.
3. You don’t have to worry about prostate cancer if you don’t have a family history of it.
Prostate cancer does run in some families. Still, most prostate cancers occur in men without a family history of the disease. Inherited gene changes can increase a man’s risk for prostate cancer. For instance, inherited mutations of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, which raise the risk of breast and ovarian cancers, can also increase the risk of prostate cancer in some men.
4. It’s easy to determine Gleason scores
A Gleason score is a grading or scoring system used by doctors to access the aggressiveness of prostate cancer. It’s based on how cells from the tumour look under a microscope. The higher the Gleason score, the more likely cells are to grow and spread. A lower score means less aggressive disease.
The Gleason score is used to help plan the cancer diagnosis and treatment, and determine prognosis, which is why it’s important to determine it correctly.
If you know someone who needs to undergo a prostate cancer test or breast cancer screening in Singapore, visit our website, and let our experts help you.
