MORE awareness on prostate cancer is needed to encourage more men to lead a healthy lifestyle and go for checkup.
Lembah Jaya assemblyman Syed Ahmad Syed Abdul Rahman Alhadad, better known as Altimet, said awareness on this particular type of cancer was specific to men aged 45 years and above.
“I realised that awareness on prostate cancer is lacking. Many men do not maintain their health and when it is gone, trouble awaits. In the long run, prevention is better than cure.
“We hope to get 200 people to sign up for the free checkup,” he said during a free prostate checkup and talk on prostate cancer awareness held in conjunction with the Madani Community Programme in Taman Melawati, Selangor.
Syed Ahmad said this was the first time they held such an event, and hoped to organise more awareness programmes in the future.
Urology specialist Dr Tam Wei Lun, who gave a talk on prostate cancer awareness, said most prostate cancer was asymptomatic, which was why early detection was very important.
“Some symptoms and signs are closely related to swollen or enlarged prostate such as recurring infections.
“It can be so subtle and not obvious, so most men might think that it is part of the ageing process,” he said.
Dr Tam said living a healthy lifestyle such as maintaining a balanced diet and exercising were keys to reducing the risk of getting prostate cancer.
“However, if such efforts are not working, then the next step will be early detection through the free checkups,” he said.
The free checkup and awareness talk was jointly organised by the Lembah Jaya branch of the Selangor Youth Movement (PEBS) headed by its chief Taufiq Zolkepli and KPJ Ampang Puteri Specialist Hospital.
