This episode of Hadassah On Call deals with the most common malignant tumor in men. Dr. Ofer Gofrit, chair of the Urology Department at the Hadassah Medical Organization, tells us everything we need to know about prostate cancer, from prevalence to risk factors to treatment options.
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Surprisingly, treatment is not always necessary. He stresses, though, that early screening is. “Prostate cancer is a slow-growing tumor. There is time to diagnose it early.”
Screening at 45 years of age is key, especially when genetics are at play — a grandfather or father having the disease is a great risk factor. If prostate cancer is diagnosed, surveillance is then the next step. According to Dr. Gofrit, active surveillance is very common practice today and may be the solution for overtreatment that was so common in the past.
To help prevent even getting to that point, it’s important to make good lifestyle choices. “Whatever is good for the heart is also good for the prostate,” says Dr. Gofrit. A balanced diet, regular aerobic exercise and maintaining a healthy weight can help postpone or prevent the disease. It’s proven that overweight men have a higher risk of prostate cancer.
Dr. Gofrit also discusses the pros and cons of PSA testing and the use of more predictive blood tests and imaging to improve the accuracy of diagnosis.
When treatment is needed, options include surgery, radiation and hormonal therapy.
What Else You’ll Hear
- The impact of treatment on a man’s daily life and sex life
- Signs of recurrence following treatment
- Link between bladder cancer and the BCG vaccine and Alzheimer’s disease
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"Hadassah On Call: New Frontiers in Medicine" is a production of Hadassah, The Women's Zionist Organization of America. Hadassah enhances the health of people around the world through medical education, care and research innovations at the Hadassah Medical Organization. For more information on the latest advances in medicine, please head over to hadassah.org.