BY ISSAH OLEGOR
A worrying gap between awareness and action among Ghanaian men is threatening efforts to reduce deaths from prostate cancer, with a leading urologist warning that too many men wait until the disease has advanced before seeking medical attention.
Professor Mathew Yamoah Kyei, Consultant Urologist at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and Head of Surgery at the University of Ghana Medical School, says early detection remains one of the most effective ways of improving outcomes for prostate cancer patients.
He has consequently urged men, particularly those aged 40 years and above, to make prostate health screening a routine part of their annual medical checks.
Prof. Kyei made the call in Accra during the launch of the ‘2026 Prostate Cancer Awareness Month’, raising concerns over what he described as a troubling disconnect between knowledge of the disease and actual screening behaviour among men.
According to him, available evidence shows that the median age at which men in Ghana are diagnosed with prostate cancer is approximately 68 years, with the highest incidence occurring among men between 60 and 69 years.
The concern, however, is not simply the age at which the disease is detected but the stage at which many patients eventually arrive at health facilities.
Prof. Kyei said prostate cancer can develop silently, particularly during its early stages, allowing the disease to progress without obvious warning signs.
He cautioned men against relying on symptoms such as difficulty urinating before visiting a health facility, explaining that by the time such symptoms become apparent, the cancer may already have progressed.
He therefore encouraged men to consider the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test as part of their routine health assessments, alongside other examinations recommended by qualified medical professionals.
“Early detection saves lives,” Prof. Kyei stressed, encouraging men to use September’s observance of Prostate Cancer Awareness Month as an opportunity to undergo prostate health checks.
The PSA test, he explained, does not operate in isolation. Depending on the circumstances, doctors may combine PSA testing with a physical examination of the prostate, imaging and biopsy to determine whether cancer is present and establish the appropriate course of treatment.
Perhaps the most worrying revelation from the awareness campaign is the difference between what Ghanaian men know about prostate cancer and what they actually do to protect themselves.
Prof. Kyei cited research showing that 87 per cent of men surveyed knew about prostate cancer, yet only 22 per cent had ever undergone a PSA test.
Another study conducted at a tertiary teaching hospital produced a similar warning. Although approximately 72 per cent of participants knew about prostate cancer, only about 30 per cent had undergone screening.
The figures, he said, expose a major weakness in the fight against the disease: awareness alone is not translating into preventive action.
“It is not enough to know about it. Let us bring it in so that we can benefit from it,” he said.
