Prostate cancer rates rising

“WE are light years away from
» where we were four years ago,”
says North Vancouver prostate
cancer survivor Jack Carlisle
‘about the increasing awareness
and support of prostate cancer.

. “We ‘can now talk about ideas thar

weren't even possible last year.”
: This past year has proven to be a land-
mark year for prostate cancer with the
highlight being the National Prostate
Cancer Forum in Toronto from February

-27.t0, March 2, 1997..
“There is no doubt in my mind that the
forum was the biggest advance in aware-
iess'and support for prostate cancer,” says
Carlisle, who's with the Canadian Cancer
ety
The’ increasing number. of peopie
ttending support group mectings clearly
marks the success of the past year. - .
“We. get large increases in the number
people coming out to the meetings and
‘are new faces each time, which is very
raging,” says Carlisle. .“These are all
of the progress we've made to saise
oO

" aivareness.. of

The number of diagnoses

“Funding is the greatest challenge,”
says Carlisle. Prostate cancer activists are
demanding chat more money be poured
into finding a cure for prostate cancer, as
well as exploring alternative therapies.

Education and awareness continue to
be a priority as well because of the alarm-
ing number of men who remain unin-
‘formed of the risk of prostate cancer.
“Some men don’t even know they have a
prostate, so when they go to the doctor
and are told they have a problem, they are
completely shocked,” says Carlisle, ~_ :

“This past year has been very reward-
ing but we have a great deal of work still to
do and we. cannot atford to waste any
time,” he says. “The more we develop and
learn, the more challenges we will face.”

In 1997, p
Canadian men will. be’ diagnosed with
prostate cancer, and 4,100-men will die
from it. In B.C., with the highest rate for
prostate cancer in Canada, 3,500 men will -

diagnosed with prostate cancer, and”

550 men will dic.

Prostate cancer is’ the most frequently’,
diagnosed cancer .in Canadian: men, and
after lung cancer, the leading cause of male .

“ cancer deaths. .

The incidence rate is rising in Canada
in: recent years
has increased 5.3% a-year. This is partial

. due to the facts that men‘are living longer,

More men are being ‘tested, and. the.

approximately -19,800 -

Canadian population is increasing.- _-
Symptoms include frequent, : difficult.”
and painful urination, painful ejaculation,
blood in urine or semen, and pain in the ~
lower back area. Sat
Black men, men with a family history of
the disease and men with a high corisump-
tion of dietary fat are especially at risk.”
If you are over 50, or |
family history of prostate..carcer,, you
should have an annual digital rectal ‘exami
nation (DRE) as part of your regular phys-
ical checki eraee :
If, any’ irregularities are
should ‘havea; prostate. specific“ antige

(PSA) blood test or bio;

mien over the ag

test, 10 will have a high

~ level They will neéd
-tests.’ Three. of those’ 1

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