Experts highlight risk of undetected prostate cancer
Prostate
A recent Lancet Commission report states that 40-50% of prostate cancer cases in India are detected only after the disease has reached metastatic or advanced stages
– a city-based specialist
cancer, often dubbed the 'silent threat,' continues to go undetected in its early stages due to delayed medical attention—especially among Indian men. The recent revelation about former US President Joe Biden suffering from an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has metastasised to his bones has brought the disease back into global focus. Speculation around Britain's King Charles possibly battling the same condition has only underscored its seriousness.A city-based specialist said that although prostate cancer ranks as the second most common cancer among men in developed nations, it is currently the 12th most common among Indian men. 'However, its incidence is rising in India, and the trend is alarming. A recent Lancet Commission report states that 40-50% of prostate cancer cases in India are detected only after the disease has reached metastatic or advanced stages,' the specialist said, adding that the late diagnosis drastically reduces treatment effectiveness and survival chances.The prostate is a small gland located below the bladder that produces seminal fluid. When abnormal cell growth occurs in this gland, it leads to prostate cancer. This condition primarily affects men over the age of 50, with a sharp increase in cases seen among those in their late sixties. According to the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (2020), the population aged 60 and above is expected to grow by 11% by 2050, suggesting a significant rise in elderly men at risk of developing prostate cancer. 'Early-stage prostate cancer is often symptomless, but some signs to watch for include blood in the urine or semen, increased frequency of urination, and difficulty starting urination. Unfortunately, these symptoms are often mistaken for other benign conditions, leading men to ignore them until it is too late,' said a doctor.Doctors report that the incidence rate of prostate cancer in India ranges from 5 to 9.1 per 100,000 men annually, with urban areas recording higher rates—11.8 and 9.7, respectively. This trend highlights the urgent need for awareness and early detection. Medical professionals commonly recommend that men over 50 undergo a Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test. This test measures PSA levels in the blood, with elevated levels potentially indicating the presence of prostate cancer. However, PSA levels can also rise due to non-cancerous conditions such as infections or an enlarged prostate. Furthermore, there is ongoing debate within the medical community about whether all cases of early-stage prostate cancer require aggressive treatment, as the disease often progresses slowly, sometimes taking a decade to cause serious harm.With an aging population and increasing urbanisation, the burden of prostate cancer in India is set to grow. Awareness, timely diagnosis, and regular screening can make all the difference in saving lives.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Bupa weighs foray into private hospitals market in India
British health insurance major Bupa is looking to enter the fast-growing private hospital and healthcare market in India, currently dominated by players like Max Healthcare, Apollo Hospitals, Fortis, Narayana Health, and Medanta, as the company grows its engagement beyond the traditional insurance business (Niva Bupa), global CEO Inaki Ereno told TOI in an interview. Excerpts: How do you assess the Indian health insurance market in India? The Indian health insurance market is the most attractive and best in the world. It's still under-penetrated, and we believe there will be many more people requiring private medical insurance. We need more beds, more hospitals, more clinics, and more insurance here... In terms of our own growth, it's been 35% over the last three years. We're clearly seeing a massive opportunity. In markets like Europe, UK, Australia , Latin America, you have a Bupa Payvider programme where you provide not just insurance and easy claims processing, but also a network of healthcare providers. These include dental and mental health clinics, and hospitals. Any plans to start hospitals and such other services in India? With Payvider, we are not just insurers but also providers. Of the claims that our patients go through, we always want around 25% in a place called Bupa - in a Bupa clinic, in a Bupa hospital, in a Bupa digital place. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Brass Idols - Handmade Brass Statues for Home & Gifting Luxeartisanship Buy Now Undo This helps us to learn the cost of things, and also allows us to personalise the service. It is too soon to talk about India. I cannot commit yet on the dates but, yes, you can expect that Bupa will keep investing here... we do have a plan, a commitment to study the situation and be ambitious and come up with something big. We believe that 25% of the activity that we do should be run in a place like Bupa. Inflation in health costs is a concern for customers, which also sees policy costs go up. Your views? When it comes to the cost of claims, there is inflation across the world. This is why developing a private medical insurance market helps everybody. When you have more people into private medical insurance, that helps lower costs of claims. Normally, premiums go up with inflation. So, they will not reduce. Are we expecting a big increase in premiums? The answer is no. We expect premiums to go in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Apart from metros and bigger cities, how do you see the opportunity in Tier 2 and Tier 3 towns and rural India? We are clearly targeting markets beyond the top 50-60 cities. We think there's a massive opportunity to get people into the fold of insurance. India is at a very nascent stage, and awareness is still low with respect to health insurance. India is a growing country, with lots of construction and other infrastructure activities happening. Do you think that dust, pollution, and long traffic snarls in congested cities create health hazards for people? The answer is yes, though no one can make a direct correlation in elements like these. But we are working with the Norman Foster Foundation to understand what is the impact that living in a particular city has on your health, including in Delhi. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Economic Times
6 hours ago
- Economic Times
KKR-backed IVI to buy ART Fertility Clinics for $450 million
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel KKR-backed IVI RMA Global, a US-based leader in infertility treatment, is set to acquire ART Fertility Clinics for $400-450 million, according to people familiar with the matter. The acquisition marks a significant step in IVI RMA's global expansion, adding India to its presence in over 15 countries and more than 190 clinical offices across the US, Europe and Latin parties are in the final stages of documentation for a shareholders' agreement and are hoping to wrap up the transaction by June with private hospitals, the IVF industry in India too is witnessing consolidation as several private equity funds have been aggressive with acquisitions. In 2023, Swedish fund EQT Partners acquired a significant majority stake in Indira IVF, the largest provider of fertility services in India and top five globally in terms of annual IVF cycles, at a $1.1 billion ('9,000 crore) Fertility Clinics began in 2015 as IVI Middle East, an international arm of IVI RMA Global. In 2020, IVI RMA divested the business to Gulf Capital, which rebranded it as ART Fertility Clinics. Since then, the brand has rapidly grown, expanding across West Asia and clinics in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Al Ain in the UAE as well as 11 centres across India, ART Fertility has established itself as a high-performance network in reproductive medicine. The Indian expansion began in 2021, backed by a $30 million investment from Gulf Fertility operates in big Indian cities including Mumbai, Noida, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Gurgaon and by Suresh Soni, former co-founder and CEO of Nova IVF Fertility, ART Fertility reports a pregnancy success rate of 70% and has recorded over 5,000 successful pregnancies in under nine to sources, ART Fertility posted revenue of $100-120 million in FY25, with an estimated Ebitda of $35 million."For an Indian healthcare player, a $25-35 million ebitda which is borderline ebitda positive coming from the Middle East would add no value," said a fund manager at a Mumbai-based private equity firm that operates a pan-India IVF chain. "However, IVI being a US player where multiples are low, adding a Middle East business works well."IVI RMA trumped a rival bid by Temasek-backed Cloudnine Hospitals.A KKR spokesperson declined to comment. IVI RMA and ART Fertility did not respond to is the advisor in the is rapidly emerging as one of the world's fastest-growing markets for Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART). However, the sector has scope for expansion at 210 IVF cycles per million people, compared with 1,200 in the US and over 2,000 in affects approximately 15% of Indian couples, a figure expected to rise due to lifestyle factors such as poor diet, stress, late marriages, and to EY, India's IVF market is expected to grow from $793 million in 2020 to $1.45 billion by 2027, at a projected CAGR of 15-20%.India sees around 300,000 IVF cycles annually, with projections suggesting this could grow to 500,000-600,000 cycles by 2030. About 30% of the market is controlled by 10-15 organised players, while the remaining is fragmented among smaller, unorganised clinics. Key players in India's fertility sector include Indira IVF, Nova IVF, Oasis IVF, Bloom Fertility Centre, Bengaluru-based Milann, Morpheus IVF, Ridge IVF, Akanksha IVF and Bourn Hall IVF, the second largest player in India, is owned by Asia Healthcare Holdings (AHH), the single specialty hospitals platform backed by GIC and homegrown PE fund Kedaara Capital owns a minority stake in Oasis Fertility, while Brussels-based fund Verlinvest owns a controlling stake in Ferty9 F, a premier chain of fertility clinics in the AP/Telangana region.
Time of India
6 hours ago
- Time of India
Seminar on MBBS, global education pathways in Pune draws enthusiastic response
1 2 P une: A large gathering of aspiring students and parents attended an informative Mission Admission seminar organised by The Times of India jointly with The Astute Academy at Dr. Kalmadi Shamarao Junior College auditorium on Sunday. Conducted by Tushar Vinod Deoras, a former BARC scientist and chairman of Astute Academy, the seminar aimed to demystify the complexities of Indian and international admissions for MBBS and higher education. The first session focused on the Indian MBBS admission process, offering clarity for students with NEET scores as low as 200. Attendees also learned about affordable pathways to study medicine in the United States through structured Indo-American university collaborations. The second session delved into undergraduate and postgraduate admissions in the US and Germany. Parents and students were provided with detailed guidance on securing spots at prestigious universities abroad. During the first session, Deoras shared a wealth of information. He pointed out that many private medical colleges offer donation-free management quota merit seats. He explained fee structures, wherein funding is controlled by govt, and proposed to students tripartite Indo-American university partnered systems, which provide affordable, sophisticated modern medical education in the US and subsequently offer employer-relevant value around the globe. The second session was about undergraduate and postgraduate courses offered in the US and Germany, particularly emphasising on Ivy League schools and Germany's technical universities. Deoras noted how flexible and multidisciplinary the US system is, with more emphasis on career focus than rigid course structures. He urged students to start building their profiles as early as Std IX and to apply to international universities at least one year in advance, as most operate on a first-come, first-served basis. He said, "Quality education and a successful career are a student's fundamental right. Students and parents should not judge countries by stereotypes but understand which system aligns best with the student's goals." A highlight of the seminar was its interactive nature. One parent shared, "The session was very enlightening. Many doubts regarding my son's education were resolved, and I feel much more at peace now." Another participant raised a query about dentistry as a career path, to which Deoras responded that it remains an underappreciated but highly rewarding field in India. While initial years in practice may be challenging, dentistry offers significant long-term growth and financial prospects. Deoras also addressed several audience questions about state-wise admission quotas for MBBS, the application process for foreign universities, and the admission timelines and requirements for medical education abroad. The seminar concluded with a positive response from the audience who appreciated the transparency, practical guidance, and motivational approach.
