Dr. Georgi Georgiev graduated from the Medical University of Pleven in 2003. He holds a specialty in urology. He has additional qualifications in abdominal ultrasound, as well as seven years of experience using the GreenLight laser for vaporization of benign prostatic hyperplasia. In 2015, Dr. Georgiev upgraded his qualifications in the field of bloodless minimally invasive surgery – he obtained a certificate from ESU laparoscopic training in Madrid, Spain; for basic and advanced techniques in laparoscopic urology, laparoscopic extraperitoneal radical prostatectomy in Leipzig, Germany and for TRUS and ultrasound guided biopsy. He participated in the XXX Congress of the European Urological Association in Madrid in 2015, as well as in the VI Meeting “Endourology and Minimally Invasive Surgery” in Sofia in 2015. Dr. Georgiev has considerable experience in the bloodless treatment of prostatic hyperplasia. He has performed over 100 laser vaporizations of the prostate gland. His is the first independent enucleation with a Green laser in Bulgaria. His research interests are related to sexual disorders in men, laser treatment of phimosis, laser treatment of enlarged prostate, laparoscopic treatment of prostate and kidney malignancies. He currently works at Hill Clinic. – Dr. Georgiev, what disease is prostate cancer? In which men is it observed? Prostate cancer is a process in which the normal cells of the gland begin to divide and grow uncontrollably. Because these cells are glandular in origin, the carcinoma is called adenocarcinoma (adeno – gland). Usually, the tumor cells develop from the peripheral part of the gland, which makes the manifestation of the first symptoms delayed. It is only when the prostate carcinoma involves a large part of the gland and even goes beyond it that the man begins to experience difficulty urinating. In the case of urinary tract obstruction, however, the process is often very advanced. Therefore, one should not rely on symptoms to visit a urologist. – How often is prostate cancer observed in modern men? Prostate cancer is one of the most common malignancies in older men. In view of the aging of the population, it is expected that more and more people will be affected by it in the future. It occurs more often in men of the Negroid race, and also has a strong age factor, i.e. after reaching the age of 50, prostate cancer becomes more possible. – How far has modern medicine reached in prostate cancer therapy? Depending on the degree of differentiation – to what extent the tumor cells resemble normal prostate cells – the prognosis of the disease is also determined. The less the tumor cells resemble normal cells, the more aggressive the cancer is. Urologists perform a biopsy and use a special Gleason scale to grade the process.In the case of non-aggressive forms of prostate carcinoma and elderly patients, 85 and older, observation is started. For the rest, operative intervention is recommended. NEWS_MORE_BOX When it comes to a malignant process that has not left the prostatic capsule, our experience shows that surgical treatment is a huge success. The prognosis is said to be extremely good and the patient is practically cured. The team of our clinic has been monitoring prostate cancer patients operated on laparoscopically for several years now, and they are not only no longer sick, but also enjoy a good quality of life. – Do we manage to catch prostate cancer cases in time in Bulgaria? What kind of care should Bulgarian men get used to in order to reduce the risk of it? I cannot give exact statistics, but my practice as a urologist shows that in some men who come for a preventive examination, suspicious areas are found in the gland or the PSA tumor marker shows higher than normal levels. Therefore, the best standards recommend that a man be examined by a urologist once a year, regardless of whether or not he feels problems caused by his prostate. After turning 50, this should become a routine practice. My recommendation is to have a preventive consultation every year after this age. For men who have a hereditary burden – a father, an older brother, an uncle with prostate cancer – preventive examinations should start from the age of 45. There is no other preventive method to prevent or limit the disease. Smoking, being overweight, or having urinary tract infections during youth are thought to increase the risk of developing carcinoma, but these are secondary factors. Even if they are limited, there remains a risk of developing a malignant process in the prostate gland, that is, the need for preventive examinations is unconditional.Therefore, the best standards recommend that a man be examined by a urologist once a year, regardless of whether or not he feels problems caused by his prostate. After turning 50, this should become a routine practice. My recommendation is to have a preventive consultation every year after this age. For men who have a hereditary burden – a father, an older brother, an uncle with prostate cancer – preventive examinations should start from the age of 45. There is no other preventive method to prevent or limit the disease. Smoking, being overweight, or having urinary tract infections during youth are thought to increase the risk of developing carcinoma, but these are secondary factors. Even if they are limited, there remains a risk of developing a malignant process in the prostate gland, that is, the need for preventive examinations is unconditional.Therefore, the best standards recommend that a man be examined by a urologist once a year, regardless of whether or not he feels problems caused by his prostate. After turning 50, this should become a routine practice. My recommendation is to have a preventive consultation every year after this age. For men who have a hereditary burden – a father, an older brother, an uncle with prostate cancer – preventive examinations should start from the age of 45. There is no other preventive method to prevent or limit the disease. Smoking, being overweight, or having urinary tract infections during youth are thought to increase the risk of developing carcinoma, but these are secondary factors. Even if they are limited, there remains a risk of developing a malignant process in the prostate gland, that is, the need for preventive examinations is unconditional.