Senator Thompson implores Jamaican men to screen early for prostate cancer amid rise in cases

Government Senator and consultant urologist Dr Elon Thompson is imploring Jamaican men to take their health seriously and in particular to get screened early for prostate cancer.

Thompson made the call during Friday’s sitting of the Senate where he pointed to the last Jamaica Health and Lifestyle Survey which he remarked, “gives us reason for concern”.

According to the survey, only about 28 per cent of Jamaican men aged 40 years and older reported ever having had a digital rectal examination. Only 5.1 per cent reported being referred by a healthcare professional for a prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, screening test. And only 1.9 per cent reported actually having done a PSA test.