THE CABLE
On Friday, Pat Utomi, a professor of political economy, disclosed that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2022 after a biopsy.
Utomi said in the buildup to the 2023 elections, he occasionally visited a cancer centre in Ikeja after campaigns.
He added that whenever he spoke about his struggles with cancer, it dawned on him that many people of his age bracket are also battling the ailment.
Here are a few things to know about prostate cancer.
WHAT IS PROSTATE CANCER?
Let us begin by explaining what the prostate is.
The prostate is the walnut-sized gland found in males.
It is located just below the bladder and in front of the rectum, surrounding the urethra – the tube that carries urine out of the bladder.
The prostate makes some of the fluid that is part of semen.
When a man has prostate cancer, it means the cells in the prostate gland have begun to grow out of control.
It is unclear what causes these cells to grow out of control.
TYPES OF PROSTATE CANCER
There are different types of prostate cancer and each one tells which type of cell the cancer started in.
The most common type is adenocarcinoma of the prostate and nearly everyone diagnosed with prostate cancer has this type.
It develops in the gland cells that line the prostate gland and the tubes of the prostate gland.
Other types of cancer that can start in the prostate include: Small cell carcinomas, neuroendocrine tumors, transitional cell and carcinomas and Sarcomas. However, these types of prostate cancer are rare.
WHO IS AT RISK?
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