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.

“Those numbers tell us that awareness alone is not enough. We can hold seminars. We can wear blue. We can distribute brochures. We can tell men repeatedly that prostate cancer is dangerous. But unless that information results in a man actually checking his health, we have not achieved the outcome we need,” said Thompson. He said meeting men where they are was important.

Thompson, who is Head of the Urology Department at the Spanish Town Hospital, voiced support for the ‘Blue Stop Series’, an initiative of the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, and which was scheduled to kick-off today and run until October 8.

He noted portfolio Minister Olivia Grange speaking about the series at Wednesday’s post-Cabinet press briefing, stating that it was “particularly relevant as we observe Prostate Cancer Awareness Month”. Thompson highlighted that the Blue Stop Series moves from announcement to action with its launch and health and wellness check at the Ministry’s offices at 4-6 Trafalgar Road today.

“I welcome initiatives that bring healthcare closer to our men, because one of our greatest challenges is not simply treating prostate cancer. It is getting Jamaican men to engage the healthcare system before they become ill. The Blue Stop Series carries a simple but important message: “Man, Yuh Health Matters!”

Thompson said it was important that the series does not focus on prostate cancer alone as men attending will have access to blood pressure testing, blood sugar testing, PSA testing and body mass index assessment, together with education and support.

“That broader approach is important because men’s health cannot be addressed one disease at a time. Hypertension matters. Diabetes matters. Obesity matters. Prostate cancer matters. And very often, the Jamaican man who feels perfectly well may be living with one or more health risks without knowing it,” he said.

Thompson said the Blue Stop Series demonstrates that sometimes healthcare must go looking for the patient. “We have traditionally expected people to become concerned about their health and then enter the healthcare system. But what happens when the person feels well? What happens when he is afraid of the examination? What happens when work, family responsibilities, misinformation or embarrassment cause him to postpone that visit year after year?”

“We must create more opportunities for men to stop, check and act. That language is simple, but the concept is powerful. Stop long enough to think about your health. Check what is happening in your body. And act on the information you receive,” Thompson encouraged.

He pointed out that prostate cancer remains a major threat to Jamaican men with the data showing that the age-adjusted prostate cancer mortality rate increased from approximately 35 deaths per 100,000 in 1996 to 46 per 100,000 in 2023. In 2023, 716 Jamaican men died from prostate cancer. In 2024, that figure was 809, with almost 1,400 new cases reported.

“That is more than two Jamaican men dying from prostate cancer, on average, every day in 2024. These are not abstract statistics. They are men who were part of families and communities. And prostate cancer presents us with a particular difficulty because a man can have the disease in its early stages and still feel perfectly healthy. That familiar statement: “Doc, mi feel alright” cannot be our measure of good health. Feeling well does not tell you your blood pressure. Feeling well does not tell you your blood sugar. And feeling well does not tell you your PSA,” said Thompson.

He said his colleagues in healthcare also have a responsibility to get men to screen early. “While we encourage men to take greater responsibility for their health, we must not place the entire burden upon them. Healthcare professionals also have a responsibility. If a man aged 40 or older comes to us for hypertension, diabetes, medication or even an unrelated complaint, that encounter gives us an opportunity to ask about his prostate health and whether he has discussed screening with a healthcare professional. The national screening guidelines must not remain recommendations that exist only on paper. They must become conversations taking place in our health centres, hospitals and private medical practices,” Thompson insisted.

Continuing, he said, “We should be deliberately identifying eligible men and discussing prostate cancer screening in keeping with the national guidelines of the Ministry of Health and Wellness. Screening must connect to treatment. We should also remind Jamaican men that support is available”.

That support is available through the National Health Fund (NHF) where men aged 40 years and older with an NHFCard can access a subsidised PSA test. For men enrolled with the NHF for prostate cancer, the benefit has been expanded to allow up to four PSA tests annually where closer monitoring is required. Thompson also noted that for the current fiscal year, the NHF reported subsidies exceeding $1 billion for medications used in prostate cancer treatment, benefiting approximately 4,860 men, with average savings of approximately $260,000 per patient.

Thompson said that connection is important as “We should not encourage screening without also strengthening the pathway from an abnormal result to investigation, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up”.

-Lynford Simpson