Is There Enough Action on Preventing Prostate Cancer?

Like all forms and degrees of illnesses, it is always wise to prevent prostate cancer by living healthy. Better yet, the age-old adage “an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure” has never become truer than this age we are in, where more and more people are afflicted with many forms of diseases. Sadly, there is great truth in reports that more people are taking medicines for the more common diseases, but treatments for cancers are not getting as much attention and budget by leading drug manufacturers. This is true for prostate cancer as well, where pharmaceutical firms are not at all aggressive at developing cure and prevention for the disease.In fact, while expensive research and development pursuits for cancer treatment abound, the simpler and less costly measures such as prevention and public health are given insufficient attention. Prostate cancer and other forms of cancer, in fact, could be prevented with the appropriate and well-funded public health actions.

For example, there’s the $2 of Finasteride which could be taken daily and could cut the over 50,000 cases of prostate cancer in a year. Taking this kind of medicine simply means less cost of more than $1000 each year; not taking it and being afflicted with prostate problems could mean ten times or even fifty times the treatment costs! But it seems that while new cancer treatments saves lives, people should be geared – and often pushed – to higher appreciation of preventive measures.For those taking Finasteride to prevent prostate cancer, they have realized that there’s more to taking the pill each day. Reports of erectile dysfunction, incontinence and other varying side effects have since mounted, putting more questions as to the effectiveness of the product. As it is, while Finasteride may seem an affordable jump into preventing prostate cancer, it is still hounded by further studies. This came after reports that it simply delays diagnoses of the prostate cancer, instead of preventing it.With Finasteride are other products aimed at being the less costly means to fight off the disease. But the American Society of Clinical Oncology, together with medical professionals at the American Urological Association, is strongly pushing for measures that will enlighten patients. Apart from remaining on safe grounds regarding the medicines, they are bent on sending patients to their doctors to discuss their concerns on prostate cancer, instead of popping the medications with the understanding it will save them from the affliction.As it is, these experts are routing men’s attention to healthier lifestyle, instead of opening doors to products that promise slim or no prostate cancer possibilities. These medical professionals strongly recommend to men the wisdom of eating healthy and watching their weight, quitting smoking and excessive intake of alcohol, and being active with appropriate fitness pursuits. They have also stressed the importance of Omega 3 fatty acids, getting enough Vitamin D and drinking green tea as much better measures to prevent prostate cancer and other forms of serious illnesses.