Prostate Cancer: Debunking Myths and Understanding the Facts

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 22 – Prostate cancer remains one of the most misunderstood cancers among Malaysian men, despite being the third most common cancer affecting men in the country.

According too the Malaysian National Cancer Registry Report (2017-2021), nearly three out of four cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage. While awareness around men’s health has improved over the years, late diagnosis remains a persistent and worrying trend.

According to Dr Arnil George Sirimanne, consultant in clinical oncology from Icon Oncology, a meaningful number of patients continue to present wiht advanced-stage prostate cancer, where the cancer has spread to the bones and symptoms have become severe.

Misconceptions about prostate cancer can often delay diagnosis and treatment.in this piece, Dr Arnil addresses these common myths and shares the facts you need to know.

Myth 1: Prostate Cancer Only Affects Older men

One of the major reasons for this, he says, is the enduring belief that prostate cancer affects only the elderly. “Once you cross 60, the risk is real as 85 per cent of prostate cancer cases affects men who are 60 years old and above. But 15 per cent are diagnosed for men below 60. This leads to men not going for screening in their 40s and 50s, resulting in late detection of this disease.”

The early stages of prostate cancer are almost always silent. Symptoms such as difficulty urinating, a weak stream, or urine leakage after urinating are usually dismissed as part of ageing.

More serious warning signs like persistent back pain, pelvic discomfort or unexplained weight loss often appear only after the cancer has spread, usually to the spine or pelvic bones.

By the time these advanced symptoms surface, treatment becomes more complex, and survival rates drop.

Myth 2: Prostate Cancer Doesn’t Affect Asian Men

Many Malaysian men still incorrectly believe that it is indeed a “Western man’s cancer”, assuming that Asians are less likely to develop it.

“This is absolutely not true,” says Dr Arnil. “It’s a global cancer. Western countries appear to have higher numbers mainly as they have stronger screening and advocacy, not because Asians are biologically ‘safer’.”

In Malaysia, many men do not go for routine screening and often underestimate their own risk. As a result,they tend to seek medical attention only when symptoms become hard to ignore.

Myth 3: High PSA Reading Means Prostate Cancer

Another widespread misunderstanding revolves around PSA (prostate-specific antigen) testing. PSA is an significant test for early detection, but a high PSA reading does not always mean cancer.

It coudl indicate benign enlargement of the prostate or inflammation.Even so, many men panic when they see an elevated PSA result, while others avoid testing altogether for fear of what it might reveal.

Dr arnil emphasises that what men should be doing rather is seeking proper evaluation by a urologist, who will be able to determine whether further inve