A man to man talk! Such was the afternoon of last Friday (November 8th), which brought together an audience of approximately 90 civil servers and trainees from the Judiciary of the State of Tocantins to attend the lecture on “Men's Care, Prejudice versus Information”, by Urologist Daniel Carvalho de Melo Rocha. The meeting, which took place in the auditorium of the Superior School of the Judges of the State of Tocantins (Esmat) and was broadcast live to all the 36 courts, is part of the Blue November campaign in the Health on the Agenda project, developed by the Health Center of the Court of Justice of the State of Tocantins (Cesau/TJTO).
Breaking the taboo
At the opening, the medical coordinator of the Cesau, Elaine Ferreira, thanked everyone for coming, reinforcing the moment as an opportunity to break the taboo and clear up any doubts. “I'm so happy to see this auditorium full. May it be a start for self-care and may the information received here be taken as a seed to all friends and family. Share and take care of yourselves!” said the coordinator of the Cesau, who, as she said goodbye, reminded everyone that the ‘talk of today is among boys’.
The speaker was then welcomed on stage by his fellow doctors from Cesau, Nutritionist Flávio Cavalcante and Orthopedist Luiz Xavier Godinho, accompanied by Nurse Bruno Ribeiro Rocha. At the start, the Urologist pointed out that the meeting wouldn't just be a lecture. “We're going to have a chat about Blue November and our aim is to exchange ideas about the health of men and literally touch on a subject that many men still avoid talking about. This afternoon I want you to feel free to ask anything you like.”
In a relaxed and deconstructed manner, Daniel spoke about the role of an Urologist in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of diseases of the genitourinary system, which includes the kidneys, bladder, urethra and male reproductive organs. Among the diseases is prostate cancer which, according to data from the National Cancer Institute (INCA), is the second most common type of cancer in Brazil, behind melanoma, or skin cancer.
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Diagnosis
There are many factors that can cause cancer cells to form, including ageing, heredity, ethnicity, hormones, infections, obesity and a lack of vitamins. As a method of prevention, experts recommend a healthy lifestyle and medical follow-up with routine examinations. But according to the speaker, until the 1990s, when the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test did not yet exist, many patients only opened themselves up to diagnosis when they were affected by some symptom, such as bleeding in the urine.
“The truth is that men generally neglect their health and only go to the doctor when they're already in trouble. On the other hand, if a diagnosis is made as soon as possible, most cases can be resolved,” said the speaker.
Prejudice is cancerous
Another route that can facilitate early diagnosis, but which unfortunately is still resisted by many men in the 21st century, is the rectal examination. This aversion is due to prejudice and that
could give way to information and knowledge, as the speaker considered. “Machismo is the great enemy of men. And taking care of your health doesn't hurt the masculinity of anyone. We need to break down this barrier and inform ourselves in order to raise awareness among future generations. Our children need to grow up without resistance to this issue,” he said.
Treatment
The doctor also explained the treatment after diagnosis, which can include chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormone therapy, surgical intervention and active surveillance. The latter is indicated for patients with a low volume of cancer cells, which often grow slowly or not at all. This alternative includes periodic examinations such as the PSA, rectal examination, magnetic resonance and biopsy, and it is only adopted with the consent of the doctor, patient and family. “It's important that the patient feels confident that this may be the best option for him,” he explained.
As for surgical intervention, Daniel spoke about radical prostatectomy, which consists of the complete removal of the prostate. This is an invasive procedure, but it can currently be performed using laparoscopy, through small incisions. Or robotic surgery, an innovative technique that uses a robot to remove only the malignant tumor or the entire prostate. “Both cases can minimize the consequences of the post-operative period, such as less blood loss compared to an open surgery, and even guarantee a shorter recovery time.”
“My cousin” sent to ask…
The most relaxed moment of the afternoon was when the speaker opened the microphone for questions. Those who believed the men would be silent were surprised by the participatory audience. Not even shyness was able to inhibit a “man to man talk”, which included a touch test, sexual impotence, vasectomy and good laughs that brought lightness to a serious and necessary topic.
Valdemar Ferreira da Silva is 57 years old and works in the office of the President of the TJTO. He guarantees that his health is up to date and encourages his colleagues to have routine check-ups and seek medical attention. “It's these exams that will prevent something that could be worse in the future. I found the initiative of the court very relevant, as well as the professionals who were made available to give this talk,” he added.
Much applauded at the end of the lecture, Urologist Daniel Carvalho de Melo Rocha reminded us that “investing in health is not a waste of time now, but a gain in life in the future”!
Health on the agenda
The project aims to intervene with magistrates, civil servers and trainees from the Judiciary of the State of Tocantins, with a preventive perspective of integrating education and health actions, in order to make the prevention and treatment of diseases affecting workers more effective. The project is carried out through workshops in the format of Rounds of Conversation, with online transmission to all the courts and aims to promote quality of life and reduce vulnerability and health risks that can be caused by circumstances such as: way of life and working conditions. It also provides the beneficiaries with reflections on the importance of self-care and health management.
Know more
“Health on the Agenda” held three other workshops during the year, see below:
Nutrition as a basis for disease prevention
Heart health and quality of life
The relationship between ergonomics and orthopedics and the benefits of ergonomics in the workplace
