A cancer specialist has raised concern that many prostate cancer cases in the country are being detected too late, a trend he says continues to push up deaths despite the disease being treatable when found early. Consultant Clinical Oncologist and Cancer Researcher Dr. Omar Abdihamid says thousands of men are diagnosed each year, but many only seek help after the illness has already advanced.
He noted that prostate cancer remains one of the most common cancers affecting men, with about 3,500 cases recorded annually and more than 2,000 deaths linked to it. He attributed the high mortality to delayed diagnosis and limited early screening among men, especially those above 50 years.
Speaking during a Radio Generation interview on Friday, Dr. Abdihamid said age and gender are the strongest risk factors, with family history also playing a role in increasing vulnerability. He stressed that routine screening is key to detecting the disease early, particularly through the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test.
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“It’s a male disease,” he said, adding that the gland is “very squishy, sits at the back under the bladder,” and may enlarge due to age-related changes or disease.
He explained that the prostate, a small gland located under the bladder, supports reproductive function but often changes with age, sometimes leading to urinary difficulties. According to him, not every enlargement points to cancer, as many older men experience a harmless condition known as benign prostate hyperplasia.
Some symptoms such as difficulty passing urine, loss of bladder control, and pain may signal a problem, though he warned that they are not always linked to cancer. He said infections and age-related changes can also cause similar signs, making proper medical checks important.
Dr. Abdihamid said men with a family history of prostate cancer need closer monitoring since their risk is higher, often requiring earlier screening compared to the general population.
He described PSA testing as a simple blood test used in early detection but cautioned that raised levels alone do not confirm cancer.
“It’s a very simple test, just by drawing blood,” he said, noting that factors such as infection, recent sexual activity, or injury can also increase PSA readings.
He added that diagnosis must combine several elements including age, symptoms, family history, PSA results, and physical examination to reach an accurate conclusion.
The specialist also explained the use of digital rectal examination (DRE), where a doctor checks the prostate manually to detect irregularities such as hardening, nodules, or unusual texture.
“When it gets inflamed, it becomes cancerous,” he said, noting that swelling in the gland can block urine flow due to its position beneath the bladder.
He further explained how cancer develops at the biological level, saying it involves uncontrolled cell growth, genetic changes, and failure of normal cell death processes. He added that cancer cells continue to multiply and can even form new blood vessels through a process that supports their growth and spread.
According to him, this uncontrolled growth allows tumours to survive in the body, expand, and eventually spread to other organs, often leaving patients weak and with noticeable weight loss.
“That’s why you see some people become very skinny when diagnosed,” he said, describing the condition as cancer cachexia.
Dr. Abdihamid also warned that many patients in the country are diagnosed only when the disease has already spread, especially to the bones. He noted that this can cause persistent back pain, which is sometimes mistaken for normal age-related discomfort.
He said, “We diagnose around 3,500 every year and over 2,000 people die,” adding that late detection remains a major challenge in managing the disease.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in the country and remains a major health burden, especially for those aged 50 and above. Estimates show that thousands of new cases are recorded each year, with a large proportion of deaths linked to late-stage diagnosis.
Health data also indicates that most patients arrive at hospitals when the disease has already progressed, a situation linked to low awareness, limited screening, and stigma. In some cases, up to 88% of patients present when the cancer is already advanced.
To address this, the government has expanded cancer screening services, increased PSA testing in public facilities, strengthened awareness campaigns, and improved oncology care at county hospitals under the national cancer control plan.
Treatment options include surgery, radiotherapy, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, and palliative care, with early detection offering much higher chances of survival.
Dr. Abdihamid emphasized that regular screening remains the most effective way to reduce deaths, especially for men above 50 or those with a family history of the disease. He urged men not to ignore early symptoms such as urinary changes or unexplained pain.
He also pointed out that prostate cancer growth is influenced by hormones, especially testosterone, which the disease can use to grow.
Treatment, he said, often involves therapies that reduce hormone activity to slow down the progression of the disease.
He concluded that stronger awareness, early screening, and timely diagnosis are key to reducing deaths from prostate cancer, which continues to rank among the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in men.
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