Prostate cancer screening ends, study continues | Antigua Observer ...

By Alicia Simon - Monday, August 20th, 2012.

20th August 2012, St. John?s Antigua- As the Lions Prostate Screening project comes to an end after five years, the coordinator said it is only the beginning of his work to quash the disease in Antigua & Barbuda.

Urologist, Dr Dwayne ?Baba? Thwaites?who conceptualised the initiative alongside Lions?said that he has been simultaneously conducting a study to map prostate cancer data on island.

Although the doctor noted there was some data collection done in the past on island, he intends to take it a step further, saying, ?Now I?m looking at different demographics and different studies.?

Dr Thwaites has been compiling information as the screenings have been in progress and reporting back to stakeholders here. However, he intends to continue the survey for an additional seven years to come in line with other international prostate cancer studies.

?I want good solid data. One of the reasons I am pushing for 12 years is that we are noticing that the longer you do these studies the better the results come out and the better it looks for PSAs (prostate-specific antigens) and for screenings,? Dr Thwaites said.

According to Thwaites, Antigua & Barbuda is an ideal study sample because the sample cluster migration patterns are ?not that bad.?

?We are surrounded by water. Our sample size is very, very good, so we would get a lot of information,? the doctor said.

The screening project has grown in leaps and bounds, starting with 80 patients the first year to 660 patients arriving at the Lion?s Den on Saturday?the largest grouping to date.

Patients were given both PSA and a rectal examination in order to ensure that the risks of missing signs of prostate cancers were virtually eliminated.

Although there is often trepidation expressed by patients at the prospect of taking the rectal examination the doctor said that it is completely necessary. He noted that the blood drawn test is 70 per cent ?sensitive? and the rectal examination only discovers prostate cancer 40 per cent of the time.

?You have to combine the two (tests). When you add the two up you are over 100 per cent (covered). The sensitivity goes absolutely up,? Dr Thwaites declared.

The doctor unveiled that the prospect for Antigua & Barbuda?s men is ?very, very positive,? with the prevalence of prostate cancer being two per cent per 100,000 on island.

?We are proving how PSAs and screening do help a population, we are seeing it. I don?t see as much prostate cancer as I use to see and I don?t see late stage cancer, that I can?t do anything for,? Thwaites added.

With early diagnosis, the doctor noted that the cure rate for ?aggressive? prostate cancer is 95 per cent after five years.

Source: http://www.antiguaobserver.com/?p=79682

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