Notícias de: General News

The Mário Penna Institute’s November Blue comes with a light, fun and committed campaign to prevent prostate cancer, with the theme “Be whoever you want, but be prevented”. Even though this type of cancer is the second that kills the most in Brazil, some still insist on ignoring the risk of neglect, forgetfulness, prejudice and fear. Therefore, this year’s campaign aims to attract the attention of these people, using exactly the most common excuses for not taking the exam, such as “Is it worth it”, “I’ll go later”, “Not with me” and “This it’s nonsense”. With good humor and a hint of irony, Mário Penna is demolishing the myths about the exam and calling for prevention.

According to the National Cancer Institute (INCA), in its early stages, prostate cancer has a silent evolution. Many patients have no symptoms or, when they do, are similar to benign prostate growth, such as difficulty urinating; decreased stream of urine; need to urinate more often during the day and at night; and blood in the urine. In the advanced stage, this type of cancer can cause bone pain, urinary symptoms or, when more severe, generalized infection and kidney failure.

Early detection is a strategy to find the tumor at an early stage and thus provide a better chance of treatment. “Detection can be done through clinical and laboratory tests. In the case of prostate cancer, these tests are a digital rectal exam and a blood test to assess the dosage of PSA (prostate specific antigen)”; explains Dr. Alexandre Menezes, Urologist at Instituto Mário Penna.

Early diagnosis of this type of cancer enables better treatment results. “Men over 50 years old should see a urologist to do the preventive exam. It is important to emphasize that this guidance is valid from the age of 40 for those who have black skin or who have confirmed cases in the family”; says Dr. Alexandre Menezes.

Mario Penna Institute – The urology team at Instituto Mário Penna is formed by Dr. Wadson Gomes Miconi, Dr. Alexandre Carvalho de Menezes, Dr. Paulo Marcelo dos Santos, Dr. Rodrigo Guimaraes Corradi, Dr. Renato Beluco Corradi Fonseca, Dr. Walter Luiz Ribeiro Cabral, Dr. Leonardo Macedo Coutinho, Dr. André Lopes Salazar, in addition to medical residents.

Reference in cancer care by SUS in Minas Gerais, the Institute carried out, in the last year, more than 11 thousand urological procedures. In addition, 6,519 patients were seen by urology professionals and nearly 4,000 surgeries were performed.

*Campaign material available for download, click here .