NIGERIA NEWS

MAN KILLS WIFE OVER N500
Oronna Street in Abule-Egba area of Lagos was, yesterday, thrown into confusion after a 60-year-old man who allegedly killed his wife over his missing N500, locked himself up with the corpse.
Reports said fight broke out after the man identified as Gbadebo Elegbede, accused his 17-year-old son  of stealing his N500 at about 7am. His wife, Maria, was said to have defended his son, an action that reportedly led to a verbal confrontation with her husband,which degenerated into a scuffle. In the process, Gbadebo was said to have hit his wife with a hard object on the face, causing her to slump.

His son, Johnson, was said to have attempted to lift his mother from the floor only to discover  that she was motionless and bleeding from the mouth and nose. Johnson reportedly ran out to alert neighbours to come to his mother’s help, but they met the door of the apartment locked from inside, with Gbadebo threatening to kill anyone who attempted to force the door open. Eye witnesses said some of the deceased’s relatives who rushed to the scene were also prevented from seeing Maria’s corpse as the door was still locked.

NIGERIA NAVY ARRESTS 40 SHIPS FOR STEALING CRUDE OIL.


The Nigerian Navy at the weekend, said that it had arrested over 40 vessels for allegedly stealing crude oil. Briefing newsmen in Abuja, as part of activities lined up for the Nigerian Navy week celebration and its 57th anniversary, the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Joseph Ezeoba, however expressed regrets that Navy’s job ended with the arrests, as it could not go further to bring the owners to book.

Represented by the Chief of Policy and Plans (COPP), Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogbor, the CNS said that many barges used for crude oil theft were also destroyed. He said that the arrests were made throughout the three operational Commands of the Navy during their special operations to consolidate the gains of the Joint Maritime Patrol, “Exercise Farauta.” He said that to sustain this tempo in line with the Presidential mandate to end oil theft, “three OCEA fast patrol boats and NNS ZARIA have been deployed to Brass to beef up the patrol team in the area. In furtherance of this war against crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism, he said that the Navy has launched a new website, www.cot.navy.mil.ng, to provide details relating to exploration, nominations, approvals, movement and trans-shipment of petroleum products as promulgated by relevant authorities.

GUNMEN ABDUCT BAYELSA EX-PERM SECRETARY'S WIFE, INJURE GOV'S AIDE WIFE.


 Unknown gunmen, weekend, abducted the wife of a retired Permanent Secretary, Mrs Anne Ziworitin, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital. Also injured in a separate attack was the wife of the Special Assistant on Radio to the Governor, Mrs. Vivian Ikio Iziama. Both incidents which caught  operatives of the state security outfit, Operation Doo Akpo, napping occurred Saturday night at Biogbolo, a suburb of Yenagoa.

While Mrs. Ziworitin was reportedly abducted along the Otiotio road area, Mrs. Iziama was injured with the butt of a rifle for refusing to part with the key of her Toyota Sienna car. Mrs. Iziama‘s daughter, it was learnt, was inside the vehicle when the gunmen struck as she was about to drive into her compound. Her younger sister, who was about to open the gate, was forced to raise alarm on hearing the cry of her niece.

The hoodlums were said to have fled in a black Golf salon car with which they trailed their victim. It was, however, learnt from a source close to the Ziworitin family that kidnappers of the retired permanent secretary’s spouse have demanded  N5million for her release.

BANKERS DEFRAUDED CUSTOMER OF 16M

$620,000 Bribe: Lawan, Emenalo must face trial- Court

An Abuja High Court friday dismissed an
application by the chairman and the
secretary of the House of Representatives
ad hoc committee on subsidy probe, Farouk
Lawan and Emenalo Boniface respectively,
to quash the charges of receiving $620,000
from businessman, Femi Otedola to
influence the report of the committee in
favour of Zenon Oil and Gas Limited.
Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi held that the
two accused persons had a case to answer
in the alleged $620,000 bribery charge.
Justice Oniyangi held that going by Section
185 (b) of the Criminal Procedure Code, the
prosecution needed not attach the
witnesses’ statements adding that the only
process provided for to be attached was
the proof of evidence.
He added that non- attachment of the
witnesses’ statements does not make the
charge incompetent.
His Lordship said: “Even though I agree that
the witness statement is not attached but I
disagree that its non-attachment vitiates
the charge. Where a statute provides for the
manner in which a process should be filed,
such manner must be followed; applicant’s
counsel has a misconception of Section 185
(b).
“On that note, I hold that the court has
jurisdiction to entertain, hear and
determine the suit.”
On the argument that no prima facie case
had been established against the accused
persons, the court held that “a prima facie
case arises once there are circumstances
that can justify that an accused person have
committed an offence and he should be put
on trial.
“Once there is evidence that will suggest
that the accused has an explanation to
make to the court on a matter, then there is
a prima facie case.”
Justice Oniyangi further held that having
read the proof of evidence and the written
statements of the accused persons, it was
clear that a prima facie case had been
established against them which they need
to answer.
“The prosecution has presented sufficient
materials before the court to warrant the
grant of the leave to prefer charges against
the accused persons,” he added.
Ruling on the submission that the case was
an abuse of court process, the trial judge
held that there were sufficient materials
before him to warrant the grant of the
leave to prefer charges against the two
accused persons.
He said: “The court cannot turn around
here to say the materials brought by the
prosecution constitute an abuse of court
process.
“The complaints of the applicants have no
legal bases; the charge brought by the
applicant does not amount to an abuse of
court process.”
Justice Oniyangi with the consent of the
parties adjourned till June 19 for hearing
and ordered that the bail of the accused
persons should continue.
Lawan and Emenalo had asked the court to
quash the charges of receiving $620,000
from businessman, Femi Otedola to
influence the report of the committee in
favour of Zenon Oil and Gas Limited.
Their lawyer, Rickey Tarfa, SAN said that the
court ought not to have granted the
application for leave to prefer the charges
because the prosecution failed to provide
adequate materials necessary for the judge
to exercise his discretion to grant the
application.
Arguing the application to quash the
charges, Tarfa asked the court to discharge
the accused since no primafacie case had
been made against them.
He argued that the foundation of the case
against them was not legally laid.
According to him, the prosecutor failed to
comply with the provisions of section 155
(1)(b) of the Criminal Procedure Code which
required that statements of witnesses be
attached to the application to prefer
charges.
Although the trial was schedule to
commence yesterday, Tarfa argued that the
court must first hear and determine the
application to quash the charges.
He said that the application to quash the
charges also challenged the jurisdiction of
the court to conduct the trial.
Responding, the prosecutor, Chief
Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN asked the court
to dismiss the application even as he
described it as a tactic to waste the time of
the court.
According to him, the Supreme Court had
held in many cases that the purpose of
seeking for leave of court’s to prefer
charges was to ensure that frivolous
criminal charges were not filed and not to
allow the accused persons to see the details
of the charges against them. He said that
the charges remained valid adding that
non-attachment of witnesses’ statement did
not vitiate the legality of the charges.

Come With Your Sisters To Prove That I’m OK- Yinka Ayefele Throws A Challenge

A lot of people still don’t believe that the sensational musician, Yinka Ayefele, who had a fatal accident years back, can perform a duty of a husband in terms of procreation. The Ibadan based singer shocked many people, when he got married and started raring children.

Yinka said, “Doctors would tell you that my case is very special and rare; my case is one of a thousand cases. There are some things I may not want to say here but I challenge those who still don’t believe me that I can perform to come with their sisters to prove the point….what I am trying to say is that I’m fortunate to have proved the medical practitioner wrong in some aspects. They say I wouldn’t be able to have erection but the day they discovered I was able to have it was like a miracle; in fact, my consultant was shocked, I thank God for this.”

Well, for those out there who do not believe that Yinka is a complete man, get across to him, if you are a lady, for trial, who knows, he may be lying.

Paul Okoye Denies Knowing Elshama Benson Igbanoni

Respect to Tuface Idibia, the singer, for once, has never denied the paternity of any of his children, applaud to him. But for this Igbo born artiste Paul, half brother of Peter of P Square Group, he’s nothing closer to being responsible.

A few days ago, the news of Paul Okoye abandoning his baby mama and new born son in a London Hospital with the bill running into five thousand pounds was the news on every lip. It was also revealed that Ms. Elshama Benson Igbanoni is a very close friend of Paul Okoye's girlfriend who gave birth recently in America


Paul’s Representative has responded that there is no iota of truth in what has been on air. His publicist said that, ''Paul stated that it is a trivial issue because the allegation lacks substance and he would not be glorifying the accusing parties by responding to their claims and the fame and attention they seek.''So to say, Paul Okoye denied knowing anyone bearing such name.

Hmmm, the beginning of episode two of the Drama you would say! Buy the question on everybody’s lips now is that, why in God's name would this beautiful young woman call Paul Okoye's name if he wasn’t the one?

This sounds really messy and since Paul has enough money, he should call for a DNA test before reacting out of anger...........she’s young and she might have made a mistake by going to the press but perhaps she tried to make contact and was bluffed.......Perhaps.
NIGERIAFILMS

NEWS: IN NIGERIA

LAGOS STATE GOVT BANS KEKE NAPEP FROM MAJOR ROADS

Lagos State government Friday banned the activities of Tri-cycle popularly called Keke Napep from the major roads in the state, saying, “it is meant to protect the lives and property of the residents of the state.” The state government however vowed to impound any disused and abandoned vehicles across the state, explaining “4,632 vehicles were currently abandoned on over 9,100 roads in theState.

Commissioner for transportation, Mr. Kayode Opeifa  disclosed this at the 2013 Ministerial Press Briefing held in Alausa to mark the sixth anniversary of Governor Babatunde Fashola’s administration. Opeifa said that the state government had held several meetings with the unions on the development, adding “they have agreed to stay away from these roads.”

Some of the roads tri-cycles operation was outlawed were: the entire Victoria Island, Government Residential Area, GRA Ikeja and Ikoyi. Also on Awolowo road and Awolowo way, Alausa and entire major roads in Surulere Local Government.

MOTHER, NURSES ARRESTED OVER MISSING BABY

A twelve year old girl,  Mary Nmakamba Eyo and two nurses Amaladi Isaac and Lillian Aloysius  are being detained  by the police in Akpabuyo, in the outskirts of Calabar, the Cross River State capital for allegedly stealing  a baby delivered by the girl without the consent of her parents. Mrs Justina Eyo, elder sister to Nmakamba who reported  the matter to the police which led to the arrest and detention of the three,  said the girl who got pregnant sometime in 2012 went missing two months ago and resurfaced last week without the pregnancy or the baby.

According to Justina, the family searched every where for the girl but could not locate her whereabouts until last week when she came back. “She was impregnated by a married man in our village who for obvious reasons could not take her into his home but was taking care of her in the little way that he could but suddenly last March, the girl disappeared and we have searched everywhere without locating her”. She said  last Friday, the girl came back without the pregnancy or the baby. She was asked where the baby was and she said the woman who took her away to Umuahia in Abia State collected the baby and gave her 2,000 naira to  return to Calabar. “She said the woman met her here in Akpabuyo and took her to a Maternity home  Abia and when she gave birth, the woman gave her some drugs and she slept off. When she woke up, she did not see the baby and the woman gave her money to return to Caalabar”

FG TO DECLARE STATE OF EMERGENCY IN BORNO, OTHER STATES

Indications emerged on Friday that the Federal Government might declare a state of emergency in five states in Northern Nigeria, as a last-ditch measure to check the rising killings and insecurity. The states are Borno, Yobe, Nasarawa, Benue and Plateau. A pointer to this emerged as President Goodluck Jonathan held an emergency meeting with security chiefs and some other top government officials in his bid to address the spate of insecurity in many parts of the country, with the latest being the killing of 47 policemen and 10 State Security Service operatives by the Ombatse militia in Alakyo forest in Nasarawa State on Tuesday. They also destroyed nine patrol vans. 

Jonathan, who rushed back to the country from South Africa late on Thursday, was said to have reviewed reports from the security chiefs on recent violence in Baga and Bama in Borno State; Alakyo Village in Nasarawa State; and Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State. Among those at the meeting that lasted several hours were the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola Said; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba; Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Alex Badeh; Director-General of State Security Service, Ita Ekpenyong; representative of the Chief of Army Staff, Maj-Gen. Emmanuel Bassey; and Inspector-General of Police,  Mohammed Abubakar.

EAT MANGOES TO WARD-OFF HYPERTENSION AND OBESITY

Another season of mangoes is here again and most people relish this seasonal fruit but how many of these people know the health benefits of eating mangoes? Mango fruit is known as the king of fruits and one of the most popular, nutritionally rich fruit with unique flavour, fragrance, taste, and heath promoting qualities making it a common ingredient in new functional foods often called “super fruits”. Mangoes are perfect to replenish salts, vitamins and energy after physical exercise.
 The enzymes of the mango, such as magneferin, katechol oxidase and lactase, clean the bowel of the “filth” within and are an ideal antidote for all toxic effects inside the body. They provide also sufficient resistance to fight any germs and afflictions.

Hartwell claims in his book “Plants Against Cancer,” that the phenols in mangoes, such as quercetin, isoquercitrin, astragalin, fisetin, gallic acid and methylgallat, as well as the abundant enzymes, have healing and cancer-preventing capacities. In gall bladder cancer a protective effect of mango consume has been proven. Mangoes contain also a lot of tryptophan, precursor of the “happiness-hormone” serotonin. It meets the vitamin and energy requirements of children of 6-24 months of age at three servings a day.

The bark of the mango tree contains 16 – 20 percent vitamin and also mangiferine. It acts as stringent and is believed to possess a tonic action on the mucous membrane. It is anathematic, useful in hemoptysis, hemorrhage, nasal catarrh, diarrhea, ulcers, diphtheria, rheumatism and for lumbrici. It is also used in diphtheria and rheumatism.

Mango is said to be an excellent natural source for pro-vitamin A; the content rises even after being picked before ripening.
 Improving the consumption of mangoes would cover the needs of the population in third world countries like Nigeria. The content of carotenes is very high also in the dried fruit, and retains high levels over at least six months after harvest.

Further investigations have shown that eating mango slices with the skin on could help keep the weight off.   A study by Australian researchers showed that mangoes could help you lose weight and stay slim – but only if you eat the skin you would normally throw away, a study suggests

Experts find that in tests, extracts from mango skin appeared to “inhibit development of human fat cells.”  According to them, the secret is in phytochemicals that act as natural fat busters and are found only on the outside of the fruit.

Mangoes have many excellent nutritional properties but more work needs to be done to understand the complex natural compounds.  A similar study also found that eating mangoes may help lower blood sugar and cancer risk.  Consumption of mangoes may potentially have positive effect on blood sugar in obese individuals and help limit inflammation, according to research at Oklahoma State University.
SOURCE: VANGUARD

LAGOS STATE GOVT GENERATES #20B IGR MONTHLY

Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in Lagos State averages a total of N20billion monthly, the State Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Ben Akabueze, has disclosed. Akabueze revealed the figure Thursday at the ongoing ministerial press briefing to herald the sixth anniversary of Governor Babatunde Fashola in office. He said the N20billion however was on the average as the figures rise and drop on monthly basis depending on the season and periods.
According to him, “IGR trickles in everyday across different agencies of the state, one month it could be up, the next month it could be down depending on seasonal considerations and all of that. At the end, we will have an aggregate for the year and you could average it out but as at today it is about N20billion monthly”.
He said the state had a projected an IGR of N316.578 billion out of its N499.605billion 2013 fiscal budget, saying it is more than the total budgets of each of the states in the country excluding Delta, Rivers and Akwa Ibom.
To realise this target, the state is adopting measures including the expansion of the tax net to cover more taxable persons living and doing business in Lagos. Akabueze said the state government does not intend to introduce any new tax, but would leverage on existing taxes as approved and empowered by the law of the federation, to pursue the realisation of the objectives of this year’s budget.
According to Akabueze, major areas the budget has been addressing since commencement of implementation include security, food sufficiency, law and order, building of critical transportation infrastructure including the blue/red light rail, continuing expansion of the Lagos-Badagry expressway, ferry services, health and environment.
On the state’s debt profile, Akabueze, who would however, not give specific figure Lagos is owing its local and international creditors, said the debt was no threat, as the income accrued to the state’s coffers yearly, outstrips its total debts, some of which are long-term loans due for full repayment 35 years ahead.

NEWS: IN NIGERIA

YOUTHS PROTEST MURDER OF VARSITY STUDENT IN EKITI
Scores of youths, mainly students, yesterday, staged a protest at Ilupeju Ekiti over the killing of 400 level student of Ekiti State University, Mr. Seyi Fasere. Fasere was killed in controversial circumstances in February 28, in Oye Ekiti by the police after some armed bandits struck at a first generation bank in the town.
During the protest, commercial and social activities were paralysed, as the youths sealed off all the public and private schools in the town, and commercial centres for the over eight hours that the protest lasted. The aggrieved youths, who had trooped out as early 7am, were said to have engaged the police in serious battle, while being tear-gassed, which culminated in a stampede that led to the hospitalisation of one Deji Omoniyi.

FOREIGNER ARRESTED FOR N15M FRAUD.
The police, yesterday, arraigned a Canadian, Jim Mansfield, at a Wuse Zone 2 Senior Magistrates’ Court for allegedly cheating one Hajiya Binta Muktar of N15 million. The prosecutor, Tope Falode, told the court that Muktar reported the matter to the Interpol on May 2012. Falode said in May 2012, Muktar leased her house located at 3, Udi-Hill Close, Aso Drive, to Mansfield with an agreement that he should pay N15 million into her account. However, he said Mansfield fraudulently possessed the said house and refused to credit Muktar’s account.
The prosecutor added that the accused, in July 2012, presented forged documents from Wells Faruo Bank to Muktar, claiming to have deposited the said sum into her account, an offence which contravened sections 312, 321 and 368 of the Penal Code. However, Mansfield, pleaded not guilty to the charges as his counsel, Mr David Ashaolu, prayed the court to grant bail to his client. Ashaolu said his client would not jump bail and would not jeopardise investigation in the case. But the prosecutor objected to the bail of the accused, and said “the accused is not a Nigerian and he is likely to jump bail.”
The prosecutor also alleged that the accused had two different passports bearing two different names. “The accused has a Canadian passport bearing the name Jim Mansfield and a UK passport with the name James Michael Mansfield.”
Mansfield’s counsel, however, urged the court to grant his client bail on liberal terms.
The Senior Magistrate, Mr Tony Ubani, granted the accused bail in the sum of N5 million with two sureties in like sum.

COMMUNITY HANDS OVER KIDNAP KINGPIN TO POLICE.
THE leadership of Ekpan community in Uvwie council area of Delta State has apprehended an alleged  kidnap and robbery kingpin, Gift Famous Etagvwene a.k.a Babune and handed him over to the Ekpan Police Headquarters.
The community was said to have arrested him last Wednesday after an alleged escape and gun fire exchange with security personnel in the community. Famous, said to be an ex-convict, was involved in the kidnap of a Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, staff (name withheld) on March 19, 2001.

NGIGE DECLARES GUBERNATORIAL AMBITION.
 Former governor of Anambra State, Senator Chris Ngige, yesterday, declared his intention to run for the 2014 governorship election in the state. Senator Ngige made the declaration in Awka on the occasion of Rainbow Coalition stakeholders’ meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP), and Democratic People’s Party (DPP). Speaking on the occasion, convener of the meeting and coordinator of Rainbow Coalition, Chief Ben Oranusi, explained that after due investigations and understanding of the personalities aspiring for the 2014 gubernatorial election, they found that Ngige was the person good enough and better experienced to take up the task of piloting the affairs of Anambra State.

MULTIPLE KILLED IN BOKO HARAM ATTACK ON BAMA
Suspected members of Islamist sect, Boko Haram, on Tuesday, attacked Bama, Borno State, leaving 55 people  dead, the Joint Military Task Force said on Tuesday. The gunmen, according to Reuters, killed 22 police officers, 14 prison officials, two soldiers and four civilians, while 13 of the sect’s members died in the clash with the task force members.
Spokesman for the JTF, Sagir Musa, confirmed this to Reuters. The suspected terrorists were said to have  freed 105 prison inmates during the attack which reportedly began at around 5am. The JTF, which took journalists to Bama to assess the damage caused by the terrorists, added that three children and one woman, were among those killed during the multiple attacks in the town. Sources in the town claimed that about 300 suspected members of Boko Haram stormed the town, first attacking the  200 Tank Battallion, a military Barracks.

FOURSQUARE GOSPEL BUILDING COLLAPSE IN LAGOS
At least one person died, while several others were trapped in Lagos on Tuesday as a four-storey building under construction belonging to Foursquare Gospel Church, collapsed. The building on Bashiru Street, Berger, collapsed as some artisans were carrying out carpentry work on it .It was gathered that the incident happened around 3.30pm.
The cause of the collapse could not be ascertained, but observers said it might have been caused by the use of substandard materials. A 15-year-old apprentice, Joshua Ayandokun, who was among the artisans that were working on the building, escaped being trapped in the building. Joshua was sent on an errand to buy bread and beans for others, but before he came back, the building had collapsed.

EKITI HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY RATIFIES ADELABU AS DEPUTY GOVERNOR
Ekiti State House of Assembly, yesterday, ratified the appointment of Professor Modupe Adelabu as the new Deputy Governor of the state. The former university don was screened by the 26-member Assembly at 10.15am, yesterday, in Ado-Ekiti. Adelabu, present Chairman of Ekiti State Universal Basic Education, was screened at the Houses’s parliamentary session.
Governor Kayode Fayemi sent the name of Prof. Adelabu to the House for ratification as replacement for late Deputy Governor, Mrs Funmilayo Olayinka, who died of cancer on April 6, last Friday. The former chairman of the Education Board was ushered in to the assembly building by the Speaker of the House, Adewale Omirin, and drilled for about 30 minutes.
Speaking with the newsmen shortly after the exercise, Omirin said: “We conducted the screening at the parliament based on the decision of the lawmakers. “They drilled the nominee for over 30 minutes but she did not let us down. She answered us intelligently and we didn’t expect anything less.”

HEALTH NEWS: PROSTRATE CANCER -- WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

Prostate cancer develops in a man’s prostate — the walnut-sized gland just below the bladder that produces some of the fluid in semen. It’s the most common cancer in men after skin cancer. Prostate cancer often grows very slowly and may not cause significant harm. But some types are more aggressive and can spread quickly without treatment.

Symptoms

In the early stages, men may have no symptoms. Later, symptoms can include frequent urination, especially at night; difficulty starting or stopping urination; weak or interrupted urinary stream; painful or burning sensation during urination or ejaculation; blood in urine or semen

Advanced cancer can cause deep pain in the lower back, hips, or upper thighs.

Enlarged prostate or prostate cancer?

The prostate can grow larger as men age, sometimes pressing on the bladder or urethra and causing symptoms similar to prostate cancer. This is called benign prostatic hyperplasia. It’s not cancer and can be treated if symptoms become bothersome.

A third problem that can cause urinary symptoms is prostatitis — an inflammation or infection that may also cause fever and, in many cases, is treated with medicine.

Risk factors: Growing older is the greatest risk factor for prostate cancer, particularly after age 50. After 70, studies suggest that most men have some form of prostate cancer, though there may be no outward symptoms. Family history increases a man’s risk.

Again, diet seems to play a role in the development of prostate cancer, which is much more common in countries where meat and high-fat dairy are mainstays. The reason for this link is unclear. Dietary fat, particularly animal fat from red meat, may boost male hormone levels. And this may fuel the growth of cancerous prostate cells. A diet too low in fruits and vegetables may also play a role.

Detection

Screening tests are available to find prostate cancer early. You should talk with a doctor or, preferably, a urologist, about screening tests once you are 40. This is highly recommended for anyone at high risk such as those with a father, brother, or son diagnosed before age 65, and those with more than one first-degree relative diagnosed at an early age.

Your doctor may initially do a digital rectal exam to feel for bumps or hard spots on the prostate.  A blood test can be used to measure prostate-specific antigen, a protein produced by prostate cells. An elevated level may indicate a higher chance that you have cancer, but you can have a high level and still be cancer-free. It is also possible to have a normal PSA and have prostate cancer.

If a physical exam or PSA test suggests a problem, your doctor may recommend a biopsy. A biopsy is the best way to detect cancer and predict whether it is slow-growing or aggressive.

Survival rate: The good news about prostate cancer is that it usually grows slowly. In advanced countries, nine out of 10 cases are found in the early stages. Unfortunately, in our part of the world, most people only present when the disease has spread very far and is therefore in the late stages.

Treatment options

With low-risk cancer, one option is to watch and wait. This is determined by several factors. Your doctor will order periodic testing. Other treatments — with the risk of sexual or urinary problems — may not be necessary. Some men who are older or have serious health conditions may not need treatment. However, more aggressive treatment is usually recommended for younger men or those with more aggressive disease.

Radiation therapy: External beam radiation to kill cancer cells can be used as a first treatment or after prostate cancer surgery. It can also help relieve bone pain from the spread of cancer. In brachytherapy, tiny radioactive pellets about the size of a grain of rice are inserted into the prostate. Both methods can impair erectile function. Fatigue, urinary problems, and diarrhoea are other possible side effects.

Surgery: Removing the prostate, or radical prostatectomy, is used to eliminate the cancer when it is confined to the prostate. New techniques use smaller incisions and seek to avoid damaging nearby nerves. If lymph nodes are also cancerous, prostatectomy may not be the best option. Surgery may impair urinary and sexual function, but both can improve over time.

Hormone therapy may shrink or slow the growth of the cancer, but unless it is used with another therapy, it will not eliminate the cancer. Drugs or hormones block or stop the production of testosterone and other male hormones, called androgens. Side effects can include hot flashes, growth of breast tissue, weight gain, and impotence.

Chemotherapy kills cancer cells throughout the body, including those outside the prostate, so it is used to treat more advanced cancer and cancer that did not respond to hormone therapy.  Because the chemotherapy kills other fast-growing cells in the body, you may have hair loss and mouth sores. Other side effects include nausea, vomiting, and fatigue.

Cryotherapy freezes and kills cancerous cells within the prostate. It is not as widely used because little is known about its long-term effectiveness. It’s less invasive than surgery, with a shorter recovery time. Because the freezing damages nerves, as many as 80 per cent of men become impotent after cryosurgery. There can be temporary pain and burning sensations in the bladder and bowel.

Prostate cancer vaccine is designed to treat, not prevent, prostate cancer by spurring your body’s immune system to attack prostate cancer cells. Mild side-effects can occur such as fatigue, nausea, and fever.

Hope for advanced cancer. Your doctor will continue to monitor your PSA levels and may perform other tests after treatment for prostate cancer. If it recurs or spreads to other parts of the body, additional treatment may be recommended. Lifestyle choices may matter, too. One study found that prostate cancer survivors who exercised regularly had a lower risk of dying.
And be sure to tell your doctor if you are taking vitamins or supplements.

SOURCE: THE PUNCH