The Cancer That Most Men in Gujarat Do Not Get Checked For
In my urology clinic at EPIC Multispecialty Hospital, Ahmedabad, I see a pattern that concerns me deeply. Men come in with prostate cancer that was entirely detectable — sometimes years earlier — because nobody had suggested a simple PSA blood test. In many cases, the cancer has progressed to a stage where the treatment options are significantly narrower than they would have been with an earlier diagnosis.
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men worldwide. In India, it has historically been under-diagnosed — partly because symptoms in the early stages are absent or subtle, and partly because prostate health screening is not yet a routine part of men’s healthcare culture in Gujarat. That needs to change.
The good news is straightforward: prostate cancer detected early is one of the most treatable cancers we know. The challenge is that without active screening, we are often meeting this cancer far too late in its journey.
What Is the PSA Test and Who Needs It?
PSA stands for Prostate-Specific Antigen — a protein produced by the prostate gland and measurable in a simple blood test. An elevated PSA does not automatically mean cancer — it can be raised by prostate enlargement, infection, or inflammation — but it is a signal that further assessment is warranted.
I generally recommend a PSA discussion for men over fifty, and for men over forty-five with a family history of prostate cancer. If your father or brother had prostate cancer, your risk is approximately twice the general population. This is something many families in Ahmedabad are not aware of.
A PSA test takes a few minutes and costs very little. If it comes back normal, it is reassuring. If it is elevated, we investigate further — not with panic, but with a systematic approach to find out whether cancer is present, and if so, how significant it is.
Diagnosis — What Happens After an Elevated PSA
An elevated PSA leads to further assessment, not immediately to treatment. We will typically arrange an MRI scan of the prostate — a non-invasive scan that gives us detailed images of the prostate gland and helps us identify areas that look suspicious. If the MRI shows concerning areas, we perform a targeted biopsy — taking small tissue samples from the specific areas identified on the scan.
This MRI-targeted approach is significantly more accurate than the older blind biopsy technique, and it is what we use at EPIC Multispecialty Hospital, Ahmedabad. It reduces unnecessary biopsies and improves the accuracy of diagnosis.
Once the biopsy results are back, we know exactly what type of prostate cancer is present, its aggressiveness grade, and this allows us to plan treatment with precision.
Treatment Options — Not Every Prostate Cancer Needs Surgery
This is something I want to say clearly, because it surprises many patients: not every prostate cancer requires immediate treatment. Low-risk, slow-growing prostate cancer in an older patient may be safely managed with active surveillance — regular PSA tests, MRI scans, and repeat biopsies at defined intervals — with treatment initiated only if the cancer shows signs of progression. This approach spares many men unnecessary treatment and its side effects.
When treatment is appropriate, the main options are radical prostatectomy — surgical removal of the prostate — and radiotherapy. For men who are surgical candidates, I perform robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy at EPIC Multispecialty Hospital, Ahmedabad. The robotic approach uses a highly precise surgical system that allows me to operate with magnified three-dimensional vision and articulated instruments in a very confined space.
The key advantage of the robotic approach for prostate surgery is precision in two areas that matter most to patients: nerve preservation — protecting the nerves responsible for erections — and urinary continence. Both are significantly better preserved with robotic surgery compared to open surgery in experienced hands. I trained in robotic uro-oncology at University College London Hospital, and this is a technique I practise at a high volume in Ahmedabad.
Life After Prostate Cancer Treatment
Most men treated for prostate cancer in Ahmedabad go on to live full, active lives. The side effects that concern patients most — urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction — are genuine considerations, and I discuss them honestly with every patient before treatment. They are not inevitable, particularly with nerve-sparing robotic surgery, and they are manageable when they occur.
Urinary control typically returns within weeks to a few months after robotic prostatectomy for the large majority of patients. Sexual function recovery takes longer and depends on the degree of nerve preservation achieved — something I discuss in detail during the pre-operative consultation.
The most important message I want to leave with men in Ahmedabad reading this: prostate cancer caught early has excellent outcomes. The conversation you have not started with your doctor — about a PSA test, about your family history, about a prostate MRI — could make an enormous difference to your long-term health. That conversation is one you can start today.
Common Questions Patients Ask
At what age should I get a PSA test?
I recommend discussing PSA screening with your doctor from age fifty, and from age forty-five if you have a first-degree relative who has had prostate cancer. The test is a simple blood draw and takes a few minutes.
Is robotic prostate surgery better than open surgery?
For most patients, robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy offers advantages in surgical precision, blood loss, hospital stay, and recovery of urinary continence and erectile function, compared to open surgery. These benefits depend on surgeon experience with the robotic platform — and this is a technique I perform at high volume at EPIC Multispecialty Hospital, Ahmedabad.
Does prostate cancer treatment cause impotence?
Erectile function after prostate cancer treatment depends on the treatment type, the patient’s age and pre-operative function, and whether nerve-sparing surgery was feasible. With nerve-sparing robotic prostatectomy, many men recover satisfactory erectile function, though this may take months. I discuss this honestly with every patient before we proceed.
What is active surveillance for prostate cancer?
Active surveillance is a management strategy for low-risk prostate cancers where immediate treatment is deferred in favour of regular monitoring — PSA tests every three to six months, annual MRI, and periodic repeat biopsies. It is appropriate for selected patients and avoids unnecessary treatment without compromising long-term outcomes.
Is prostate cancer treatment available at EPIC Hospital Ahmedabad?
Yes. EPIC Multispecialty Hospital, Ahmedabad, offers the full range of prostate cancer management — PSA screening, MRI-targeted biopsy, robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy, hormone therapy, and coordination with radiation oncology for patients who choose or require radiotherapy.
Dr. Aditya Parikh M.S., D.N.B.
Consultant Uro-Oncologist & Robotic Surgeon, EPIC Multispecialty Hospital, Ahmedabad.