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Get Screened for Prostate Cancer
If something was seriously wrong with your health, wouldn’t you like to know before it became a bigger problem? While we can’t peer into the future, modern medicine can provide patients with minor issues before they become more serious — including prostate cancer.
About prostate cancer
According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer occurs when cells in the prostate grow out of control. Found only in biological males, the prostate is an organ that is located below the bladder and produces some of the fluid that makes up semen.
Aside from skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer diagnosed in men. The American Cancer Society estimates about 268,490 new cases will be diagnosed in 2022 with about 34,500 estimated deaths. The American Cancer Society reports 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime with the average age of diagnosis at about 66. In fact, 6 in 10 cases are diagnosed in men age 65 and older; this form of cancer is rare in men age 40 and younger.
About 1 in 41 men will die from prostate cancer. However, it is treatable. In fact, 3.1 million American men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer are alive today.
Symptoms
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, prostate cancer symptoms can include any of the following:
- Difficulty urinating
- Weak or interrupted urine flow
- Urinating often, especially at night
- Having trouble completely emptying the bladder
- Pain or burning while urinating
- Blood in urine or semen
- Pain in the back, hips, or pelvis
- Painful ejaculation
Prevention
Early detection is key to stopping prostate cancer. If you suffer from any of the above symptoms and suspect you may have prostate cancer, a healthcare provider will administer one of two tests:
- Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test — A PSA blood test is a blood test that analyzes the patient’s blood for a protein manufactured in the prostate called prostate-specific antigen. Although there is no set cutoff point at which providers can ascertain a patient has prostate cancer, the American Cancer Society reports most men without prostate cancer have PSA levels under 4 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL). Men a PSA level in the borderline range (4-10 ng/mL) have a 1 in 4 chance of being diagnosed with prostate cancer. Men with a PSA level more than 10 ng/mL have more than a 50% chance of having prostate cancer.
- Digital rectal exam (DRE) — During a DRE, a physician inserts a gloved, lubricated finger into the rectum to feel for any bumps or hard areas on the prostate. Although a DRE is less effective than a PSA blood test, a DRE may detect prostate cancer in men with normal PSA levels.