JamzNG Latest News, Gist, Entertainment in Nigeria
Prof. Kingsley Ekwueme, a robotic urological surgeon, made it clear that no amount of sexual activity or nutritional supplements could prevent the development of prostate cancer.
Ekwueme, CEO/Medical Director of the Prostate Clinic (TPC), debunked the myth during the first anniversary celebration of TPC in Lagos on Sunday.
He stressed that the disease is a “silent killer”, with much misinformation including the belief that regular sex or specific herbal mixtures prevent the disease.
“No amount of sex, unfortunately, can prevent prostate cancer. Yes, even male gigolos will develop prostate cancer.
“So it doesn’t help. I think Nigerians need to know because of the misinformation that’s on social media.
“There is no known cause of prostate cancer. What we do have are established risk factors: age, being black and family history.
“Every other statement is speculation.”
Ekwueme outlined three well-established risk factors for prostate cancer, of which age is the main one.
According to him, prostate cancer is not found in adolescents or young adults, noting that the risk increases significantly with age.
He revealed that at the age of 30, prostate enlargement already begins, confirmed by autopsy studies: examination of 30-year-old males shows that the enlargement process has begun.
For the second risk factor, he cited ethnicity, adding that being black is a known risk factor for prostate cancer.
Additionally, Ekwueme said black men who develop the disease are more likely to present with an aggressive form.
“So, you are more likely to die from prostate cancer as a black man than other ethnicities.”
According to Ekwueme, family history is the third established risk factor for prostate cancer.
“If you have a first-degree relative with prostate cancer, your father, your brother or uncle, these are first-line, you are significantly more at risk of developing prostate cancer.
“If you have prostate cancer in your family, you are more likely to develop it seven years earlier than the normal population.”
Explaining this, he said: “The peak age for prostate cancer is between 60 and 65.
“If you have a family history, you will develop prostate cancer in your early fifties, seven years before the normal population develops it.
“Therefore, if you have a family history of prostate cancer, you need to start having the blood test, PSA, from the age of 45, so that you can diagnose it early.”
He also said that no diet could prevent someone from getting prostate cancer.
“Nothing you eat can stop you from getting prostate cancer.
“I’ve had people come to see me at the prostate clinic and take sour salt, drink jars and jars of tomatoes.
‘So, there is no confirmed dietary relationship. Millions of pounds have been spent on research to find preventative diets. It has all failed. So, don’t waste your time.”
However, Ekwueme said the diet is very good for the body and health.
“Diet is good for the body, for normal cardiovascular health.
“You can go on a diet for it, but don’t say you’re doing it because you’re preventing prostate cancer.
“This is false information.”
Ekwueme said there was a crisis due to late detection of the disease in Nigeria and developed countries, which remains a major concern for health officials.
According to him, while only 12.5% of men in the UK have incurable prostate cancer, the figure is reversed in Nigeria, where more than 80% of patients arrive when treatment options are severely limited.
He noted that the Prostate Clinic, which had treated 100 patients in its first year, aimed to fill the gap in world-class urological care locally.
He noted that fear, silence and misinformation are leading more than 80% of Nigerian men to present with advanced prostate cancer, often when treatment options were already limited
“Men often waste precious time with unproven ‘mixtures’ only to present them to hospitals when the cancer is already incurable,”
Ekwueme advised men in Nigeria not to wait for symptoms before getting tested.
He reminded men that while they may fear losing their erection, they should be much more afraid of losing their life to a disease that is treatable if caught early.
