Influencer Lito Sousa reveals prostate cancer diagnosis Influencer and aviation specialist Lito Sousa, 59, was undergoing regular routine exams when he discovered prostate cancer. Changes in PSA led to a more detailed investigation, which confirmed an adenocarcinoma of intermediate aggressiveness. The treatment chosen was surgery, indicated because the disease remains restricted to the prostate. When sharing the diagnosis on social media, Lito said that he always maintained medical follow-up, including a rectal examination. Even so, confirmation of cancer only came after additional tests. The sequence raises a common doubt: after all, is it possible to detect prostate cancer even if you are regularly monitored? The answer is yes — and that doesn't necessarily mean that the exams "failed." According to experts interviewed by g1, prostate cancer screening works as an investigation in stages. The PSA can raise a suspicion, the digital rectal exam adds important information, the resonance identifies suspicious areas and confirmation only happens with the biopsy. "No single test can confirm or exclude the diagnosis. They complement each other", explains urologist Rafael Ambar, from Hospital do Servidor Público Estadual (HSPE). Influencer Lito Sousa reveals diagnosis of prostate cancer Reproduction/Instagram PSA is a warning sign, not a diagnosis The best-known test to screen for prostate cancer is PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen), a protein produced by the gland and measured by a blood test. When your levels increase, the result deserves investigation. But this does not automatically mean that there is a tumor. Inflammation, benign prostate enlargement and even some recent activities can raise PSA. Likewise, some early tumors may produce discrete changes. Therefore, the result is never interpreted in isolation. "The PSA is an extremely important tool, but it is part of a set of information that includes age, family history, physical examination and, when necessary, imaging tests", explains Ambar. In Lito's case, it was precisely a change in this marker that led doctors to deepen the investigation. Touch continues to make a difference Another exam often surrounded by taboos continues to be one of the urologist's main tools. Rectal examination allows you to directly evaluate the prostate, identifying indurations, nodules or changes in consistency that may not cause important changes in PSA. According to the Brazilian Society of Urology (SBU), abandoning one of the two exams reduces the ability to identify tumors in the early stages. "Prostate cancer is silent. When symptoms appear, it is often already at an advanced stage", says Luiz Otávio Torres, president of the SBU.
Lito Sousa's case: is it possible to detect prostate cancer even if you undergo regular exams?
Influencer Lito Sousa reveals prostate cancer diagnosis Influencer and aviation specialist Lito Sousa, 59, was undergoing regular routine exams when he discovered prostate cancer. Changes in PSA led to a more detailed...
AdobeStock When MRI comes in If the PSA, DRE or patient history raise suspicions, the next step is usually multiparametric MRI. The exam produces detailed images of the prostate and helps the doctor locate areas that are more likely to contain a tumor, guiding the biopsy. Definitive confirmation, however, depends on microscopic analysis of small fragments removed from the prostate. This is how doctors identified an adenocarcinoma of intermediate aggressiveness in Lito, the most common type of the disease. Discovering it early changes treatment The good news is that prostate cancer tends to progress slowly and responds very well to treatment when it remains restricted to the gland. In these cases, the chances of cure exceed 90%. The main options include active surveillance for low-risk tumors, surgery to remove the prostate and radiotherapy. When the disease has already spread to other organs, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, radiopharmaceuticals and new generation hormonal medications may be indicated. "What saves lives is identifying the tumor before it progresses", summarizes Maurício Cordeiro, coordinator of the Department of Uro-Oncology at the Brazilian Society of Urology. A frequent and still silent problem Prostate cancer is the most common type among Brazilian men, excluding non-melanoma skin cancer. According to estimates from the National Cancer Institute (INCA), around 71,700 Brazilians receive this diagnosis each year. In 2024, the disease caused 17,587 deaths, the equivalent of 48 deaths per day, according to data from the Brazilian Society of Urology. Some of these deaths occur because many tumors continue to be discovered only when they begin to cause symptoms, such as difficulty urinating, blood in the urine, bone pain or weight loss. When these signs appear, the disease has often already gone beyond the prostate. Who should talk to the doctor about screening Men with cases of prostate, breast or colorectal cancer in the family should see a urologist around the age of 40 to discuss when to start screening. For those who do not have known risk factors, this conversation usually begins at age 45. The decision about which tests to perform and how often must be individualized, taking into account age, family history, life expectancy and health conditions.
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