BY: JENNIFER C. TILOS
DUMAGUETE CITY, June 18 (PIA) --Dumaguete City Health Office (CHO) has recorded 86 males who have availed the free urological consultation this week in observance of the Prostate Cancer Awareness Month this June.
The local health department has noticed the triple increased in number of men who went for check up and now concerned about their health status compared to only 20 men last year.
However, Dr. Maria Sarah Talla of CHO said that the 86 males were not only Dumaguete City residents but from other town and cities of the province availed of the consultation.
The Department of Health reported that after lung cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer for men. According to the National Kidney and Transplant Institute, prostate cancer develops in 19.3 out of every 100,000 Filipinos.
The DOH has already recognized this alarming number and declared June of every year as “Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.”
Dr. Talla said the male citizens aging from 40 to 70 years old enjoyed the free check-up.
It is noted that the increase of number had been the effect of the long span of time in the information drive, including different media outlets.
Doctors Michael Ozoa and Babiera headed the consultations with the assistants of five resident doctors from Holy Child Hospital.
The observance is conducted to urge the public especially men to engage in early prevention measures against the disease and to avoid prostate cancer as the cause of death in the city.
Prostate cancer develops when prostate cells which are found in the pelvis, under the urinary bladder, in front of the rectum, and surrounding part of the urethra mutate into cancer cells.
When cancers cells are developed in the body, these may spread from the prostate to other parts of the body such as the lymph nodes and the bones.
Though the exact causes of prostate cancer remain unknown, the risk factors have been listed as age and family history.
Symptoms of prostate cancer often include difficulty in urination and erectile dysfunction. (mbcn/JCT/PIA7-Negros Oriental with report from Amy Abunal of CPIO)