Fighting SA’s most common male cancer

Urology Hospital, Pretoria, has partnered with the Prostate Cancer Foundation of South Africa to offer free PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) screenings to help intercept prostate cancer - the most commonly diagnosed cancer among South African men.

Cases of prostate cancer are rising locally and globally, with the 2023 National Cancer Registry showing a lifetime risk of 1 in 16.The most commonly diagnosed cancer among South African men, it is known as the “silent killer” because prostate cancer often shows no early symptoms, making early detection through PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) testing paramount, says the hospital.

Alarmingly, the risk of prostate cancer for Black South African men is 1 in 4, with a mortality rate 2.7 times higher than the global average.

The hospital says too many men only seek help once the disease is advanced and treatment options are limited. It said subtle changes in urination may be early warning signs but are often ignored.

In addition, a family history of the disease doubles the risk, especially when multiple relatives - fathers, brothers - are affected.

In South Africa, prostate cancer causes 13% of all male cancer deaths and is more likely to be hereditary in Black African men, leaving them disproportionately affected.

However, the hospital says early detection through a simple PSA test can save lives, ‘catching’ the disease when it’s still treatable.