Better safe than sorry!

Getting the right screening test at the right time is one of the most important things a man can do for his health. Screenings find diseases early, before you have symptoms, when they're easier to treat. 

“Prostate cancer” is the second leading site of cancer among males in large Indian cities. Screening tests can find the disease early, sometimes before symptoms develop, when treatments are most effective. Screening for healthy men may include a digital rectal exam (DRE) by a urologist and a prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood test. 

“Testicular Cancer” develops in a man’s testicles, the reproductive glands that produce sperm. Most cases occur between ages 20 and 54. All men should have a testicular exam when they see a doctor for a routine physical. Some doctors advise regular self-exams, gently feeling for hard lumps, smooth bumps, or changes in size or shape of the testicles.

“Colorectal cancer” is the tenth leading cancer in India. Its incidence is lower than that in the western countries. The majority of colon cancers slowly develop from colon polyps (growths on the inner surface of the colon). After cancer develops, it can invade or spread to other parts of the body. The way to prevent colon cancer is to find and remove polyps before they turn cancerous. Screening begins at age 50 in average-risk adults. A colonoscopy is a common test for detecting polyps and colorectal cancer. A doctor views the entire colon using a flexible tube and a camera. Polyps can be removed at the time of test. Some patients opt for a virtual colonoscopy -- a CT scan -- but actual colonoscopy is needed to remove them.

“Skin Cancer”: Though Indians, with their brown skins, are better protected against the harmful effects of the sun’s rays, sunburn and prolonged exposure to UV light can still be harmful and lead to skin cancer. The most dangerous form of skin cancer is “melanoma”. Your risk increases as lifetime exposure to sun accumulates; sunburns accelerate risk. Doctors recommend regular skin self-exams to check for any changes in marks on your skin including shape, color, and size. Treatments for skin cancer are more effective and less disfiguring when found early.

“High Blood Pressure” (HBP): The risk for high blood pressure increases with age. HBP is also related to weight and lifestyle. HBP can lead to severe complications without any prior symptoms. But it can be treated. When it is, you may reduce your risk for heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure. The bottom line: Know your blood pressure. If it's high, work with your doctor to manage it. Blood pressure readings give two numbers. The first (systolic) is the pressure in your arteries when the heart beats. The second (diastolic) is the pressure between beats. Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80. High blood pressure is 140/90 or higher, and in between those two is “prehypertension” -- a major milestone on the road to high blood pressure. How often blood pressure should be checked depends on how high it is and what other risk factors you have.

“Atherosclerosis”: A high level of LDL cholesterol in the blood causes hardening and narrowing of the arteries. This increases your risk of heart disease. Atherosclerosis can progress without symptoms for many years. Over time it can lead to heart attack and stroke. Lifestyle changes and medications can reduce the "bad" cholesterol and lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. The fasting blood lipid panel is a blood test that tells your levels of total cholesterol, LDL "bad" cholesterol, HDL "good" cholesterol, and triglycerides (blood fat). The results tell you and your doctor a lot about what you need to do to reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Starting at 35, men need regular cholesterol testing.

“Diabetes Mellitus”: Many of us with diabetes don't know we have it. Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness from damage to the blood vessels of the retina, nerve damage, and impotence. This doesn't have to happen. Especially when found early, diabetes can be controlled and complications can be avoided with diet, exercise, weight loss, and medications. A random blood sugar test or an HbA1C can be used alone or together to screen for diabetes. Healthy adults should have the test every three years starting at age 45. If you have a higher risk, including high cholesterol or blood pressure, you may start testing earlier and more frequently. Fundoscopy is a test that allows a health professional to see inside the eye using an ophthalmoscope. It is done as part of an eye examination. 

“Glaucoma” (high pressure within the eye) gradually damages the optic nerve and may lead to blindness and vision loss before people even notice any symptoms. Screening aims to catch and treat the condition before damage to the optic nerve. Eye tests for glaucoma are based on age and personal risk. Talk with a doctor about earlier, more frequent screening if you fall in a high risk group: family history of glaucoma, previous eye injury, or use of steroid medications.

The benefits of preventive healthcare are manifold. Not only are you saved the trouble of having to suffer through the symptoms and stress of illnesses, you also get to save on money that would otherwise be spent on hospital costs. 

A stitch in time saves nine!

(Dr Francisco Colaço is a seniormost consulting 

physician, pioneer of Echocardiography in Goa and a column writer)