BUJUMBURA, April 16th (ABP) – Burundian men in their sixties are today heavily affected by the scourge of prostate cancer. The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system, shaped like a pouch and located just below the bladder. Its function is to secrete seminal fluid, which mixes with sperm to form semen. That light was shed by Dr. Boaz Nibitanga from the Johnson Hospital in Gihosha, in an interview with the Burundi News Agency (ABP) on Friday, April 11.
According to Dr. Nibitanga, the most common diseases affecting the prostate are prostate cancer and prostatitis, which is an inflammation of the gland. He distinguishes between two types of prostate enlargement: benign hypertrophy, which is a simple swelling without serious consequences, and malignant hypertrophy, which can evolve into cancer.
According to Nibitanga, prostate cancer usually presents no symptoms in its early stages. Signs appear gradually as the tumor grows. Once developed, it exerts pressure on the bladder and the urethra, the canal that transports urine to the outside. Affected individuals may experience difficulties urinating, pain, or urinary retention. A frequent urge to urinate, especially at night, may also occur, along with a slow or interrupted urine stream, an inability to empty the bladder completely, leakage or urinary incontinence, repeated urinary tract infections, blood in the urine or semen, painful urination, painful ejaculation, lower back pain, or weakness in the legs.
The doctor reports that prostate cancer can develop without apparent symptoms, as is often the case in benign forms or certain types of prostatitis. He specifies that that cancer is currently ranked second among the most common male cancers worldwide and it holds the first place in Burundi.
According to Nibitanga, based on figures from the World Health Organization (WHO), about 900,000 men worldwide are affected each year and nearly 260,000 die from it. He adds that black men are particularly at risk, with a rate of 225 cases per 100,000, compared to 91 per 100,000 among white men. The main risk factor remains age: the older a man gets, the more vulnerable he becomes to that cancer, he emphasized.
Other risk factors include family history, ethnic origin, obesity, diabetes and certain diseases such as Parkinson. The doctor also recommends monitoring one’s diet by avoiding dairy products, red meats, and foods that are too rich in calcium. He also stresses the importance of adequate intake of vitamins E, D, and C, which can be found in foods such as soy, tomatoes, or green tea. He also mentions smoking and the excessive increase of male hormones (androgens), particularly testosterone, as factors that promote the development of the disease.
Regarding prostatitis, it is often caused by a bacterium called Trichomonas vaginalis, which is responsible for a sexually transmitted infection. That infection causes inflammation and swelling of the prostate. That health professional specifies that about a quarter of prostate cancer patients have already contracted that infection. He also notes that cancer can occur in men with frequent sexual activity who, at some point, reduce or completely stop that activity. He specifies that the diagnosis is made through ultrasound. That allows for the detection of any possible swelling of the prostate. If cancer is confirmed, the treatment generally consists of a prostatectomy, which is the surgical removal of the prostate, or radiotherapy, through the use of X-rays to destroy cancerous cells, he explained.
In conclusion, Dr. Nibitanga emphasizes that prevention relies on adopting a healthy lifestyle. He recommends avoiding unprotected sexual intercourse, limiting fat consumption, regularly eating tomatoes and carrots, engaging in physical activity at least three times a week, combating obesity, and maintaining a regular frequency of ejaculation, which he believes is a protective factor against prostate cancer.