The American Cancer Society states that one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime. It is the second-leading cause of cancer death in men, following lung cancer.
One of the main reasons why the risk of prostate cancer is increased by 45% in recent years is avoiding regular prostate cancer screening appointments.
Health experts argue that implementing nationwide screenings, particularly those measuring prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels in the blood, could lead to early detection and will provide timely treatment.
A study by the European Randomised Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (ERSPC) showed that early detection improves the chances of being cured and helps avoid expensive medical treatments. The study was conducted over the course of 20 years, including data from seven European countries.
Regular screenings can reduce the risks of death from this form of cancer by 20%.
The research was led by the scientists from Erasmus MC Cancer Institute at the University Medical Centre in the Netherlands. It included 72,460 men.
The results showed that around one in six men never attended their regular screening appointments. Those who did had a 23% lower chance of dying from prostate cancer.
“It may be that men who opted not to attend a screening appointment are care avoiders – meaning they’re less likely to engage in healthy behaviors and preventative care in general,” lead study author, Renée Leenen, M.D., Ph.D. explained.
She added: “This is the opposite behavior of people who are perhaps more health-conscious and are more likely to attend a screening appointment.”
She emphasized the need to get to the reasons why men avoid these screenings.
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