Prostate cancer- Worn out by pain, cost of drugs 
Mar 29, 2009
HE was limping and writhed in pain whenever he turned. Joseph Wasswa looked sick but it was difficult to know why until he unzipped his trousers. <br>
By Stephen Ssenkaaba
HE was limping and writhed in pain whenever he turned. Joseph Wasswa looked sick but it was difficult to know why until he unzipped his trousers.
“This is a tube through which I pass urine, he says. The yellow plastic pipe emerges from a deep, dark wrinkled incision under Wasswa’s navel, winding down his groin area. “It is painful… really painful,†he says.
In 2005, Wasswa was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Since then his life has been defined by pain and misery. It started in May 2005. “I woke up in the night to urinate.
I felt pain and the urine failed to come out,†he says. The following morning he was rushed to Mulago Hospital where tests were done.
In December 2005 Wasswa was diagnosed with prostate cancer.
At the beginning of this year, he underwent an operation at Mulago to remove the malignant prostate glands.
Wasswa has been subjected to a number of drugs. “I have had to use all my savings to buy the expensive drugs,†says the peasant farmer from Mukono. “I used to spend sh100,000 per month on drugs, but I have run out of money.â€
Wasswa’s woes got worse when doctors prescribed him casodex, a hormonal therapy used in the treatment of prostate cancer.
A tablet of casodex costs sh20,000. “I was supposed to take one tablet every day for four months as the initial dosage,†he says.
This would cost him sh2.4 m. Waswa took the drug only until February; he could not afford more. “I have sold part of my land and yet have not been able to meet the costs†he says.
What is prostate cancer?
It occurs when cells of the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system, begin to multiply out of control,†says Dr. Joseph Masaba, a surgeon in the urology unit at Mulago Hospital.
Prostate cancer mainly affects elderly men. According to www.zerocancer.org, a man has about a 17% chance of getting prostate cancer in his lifetime and a 3% chance of dying from it.
It commonly affects men above the age of 70. “However, we sometimes see it in men of 50 years,†Masaba says.
Prostrate cancer is one of the most common and fatal ones. According to the World Health Organisation(WHO), it accounts for 250,000 new cases every year. In 2005, WHO says, the disease was the leading cause of cancer deaths in men in Uganda.
Prostate Cancer Africa, an information guide on prostate cancer in Africa says more than 1,500 Ugandans are diagnosed with the disease every year and many more have the disease but do not know it.
Mulago Hospital receives an average of eight outpatients every month
Causes of prostate cancer
The causes are not known. Doctors, however, believe certain conditions predispose people to this disease. Among these are eating foods with high cholesterol and folic acid.
“The disease is associated with high levels of testosterone,†says Masaba.
He explains that it could also be linked to genetic factors. “People with a history of prostate cancer in their families are prone to the disease,†he says, adding that such people develop it at a much earlier age and it is usually more aggressive.
According to WHO, black people appear to be at a greater risk than whites and Asians.
Masaba says the condition is worsened by failure to seek treatment in time. “Many patients seek treatment when the cancer has advanced, making it difficult to alleviate the condition and reducing the chances of one’s survival.
Telltale signs
Although the disease does not show symptoms, there are signs. “At its advanced stage, the disease causes enlargement of the prostate gland blocking the bladder,†says Masaba.
Other manifestations of the disease include passing out urine frequently, having a weak urine stream, difficulty in passing urine (one feels the urge to pass urine but cannot ), urine retention and passing bloody urine.
Reducing the risk
There are two most effective ways of reducing the risk:
Timely and regular screening This, according to Masaba is important, especially for men 50 years and above and those with close relatives who have suffered from this disease.
Proper feeding
Eat foods that are rich in zinc and selenium such as greens, vegetables and fruits. Data from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition suggests that a daily consumption of 500g of fruits and vegetables can decrease incidence of such cancers.
Despite the seriousness of this disease, treatment facilities are inadequate.“The hospital has one minor theatre where all surgical units carry out their operations. We also lack needles to carry out biopsy,†Masaba says.
He adds that due to high costs, the hospital does not stock prostate cancer drugs. Without adequate screening facilities, early detection and palliative care services are difficult, Masaba adds.
That is probably why people like Wasswa will continue to suffer. He needs assistance and can be reached on 0772582412.
HE was limping and writhed in pain whenever he turned. Joseph Wasswa looked sick but it was difficult to know why until he unzipped his trousers.
“This is a tube through which I pass urine, he says. The yellow plastic pipe emerges from a deep, dark wrinkled incision under Wasswa’s navel, winding down his groin area. “It is painful… really painful,†he says.
In 2005, Wasswa was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Since then his life has been defined by pain and misery. It started in May 2005. “I woke up in the night to urinate.
I felt pain and the urine failed to come out,†he says. The following morning he was rushed to Mulago Hospital where tests were done.
In December 2005 Wasswa was diagnosed with prostate cancer.
At the beginning of this year, he underwent an operation at Mulago to remove the malignant prostate glands.
Wasswa has been subjected to a number of drugs. “I have had to use all my savings to buy the expensive drugs,†says the peasant farmer from Mukono. “I used to spend sh100,000 per month on drugs, but I have run out of money.â€
Wasswa’s woes got worse when doctors prescribed him casodex, a hormonal therapy used in the treatment of prostate cancer.
A tablet of casodex costs sh20,000. “I was supposed to take one tablet every day for four months as the initial dosage,†he says.
This would cost him sh2.4 m. Waswa took the drug only until February; he could not afford more. “I have sold part of my land and yet have not been able to meet the costs†he says.
What is prostate cancer?
It occurs when cells of the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system, begin to multiply out of control,†says Dr. Joseph Masaba, a surgeon in the urology unit at Mulago Hospital.
Prostate cancer mainly affects elderly men. According to www.zerocancer.org, a man has about a 17% chance of getting prostate cancer in his lifetime and a 3% chance of dying from it.
It commonly affects men above the age of 70. “However, we sometimes see it in men of 50 years,†Masaba says.
Prostrate cancer is one of the most common and fatal ones. According to the World Health Organisation(WHO), it accounts for 250,000 new cases every year. In 2005, WHO says, the disease was the leading cause of cancer deaths in men in Uganda.
Prostate Cancer Africa, an information guide on prostate cancer in Africa says more than 1,500 Ugandans are diagnosed with the disease every year and many more have the disease but do not know it.
Mulago Hospital receives an average of eight outpatients every month
Causes of prostate cancer
The causes are not known. Doctors, however, believe certain conditions predispose people to this disease. Among these are eating foods with high cholesterol and folic acid.
“The disease is associated with high levels of testosterone,†says Masaba.
He explains that it could also be linked to genetic factors. “People with a history of prostate cancer in their families are prone to the disease,†he says, adding that such people develop it at a much earlier age and it is usually more aggressive.
According to WHO, black people appear to be at a greater risk than whites and Asians.
Masaba says the condition is worsened by failure to seek treatment in time. “Many patients seek treatment when the cancer has advanced, making it difficult to alleviate the condition and reducing the chances of one’s survival.
Telltale signs
Although the disease does not show symptoms, there are signs. “At its advanced stage, the disease causes enlargement of the prostate gland blocking the bladder,†says Masaba.
Other manifestations of the disease include passing out urine frequently, having a weak urine stream, difficulty in passing urine (one feels the urge to pass urine but cannot ), urine retention and passing bloody urine.
Reducing the risk
There are two most effective ways of reducing the risk:
Timely and regular screening This, according to Masaba is important, especially for men 50 years and above and those with close relatives who have suffered from this disease.
Proper feeding
Eat foods that are rich in zinc and selenium such as greens, vegetables and fruits. Data from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition suggests that a daily consumption of 500g of fruits and vegetables can decrease incidence of such cancers.
Despite the seriousness of this disease, treatment facilities are inadequate.“The hospital has one minor theatre where all surgical units carry out their operations. We also lack needles to carry out biopsy,†Masaba says.
He adds that due to high costs, the hospital does not stock prostate cancer drugs. Without adequate screening facilities, early detection and palliative care services are difficult, Masaba adds.
That is probably why people like Wasswa will continue to suffer. He needs assistance and can be reached on 0772582412.