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An
awkward conversation can save someone’s life – or even your own life.
Talking about prostate cancer may not seem like great dinner table
conversation, but aside from skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most
commonly diagnosed cancer among men in the United States and Nevada. So
early detection and prostate health is something Nevada’s men should be
discussing.
According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the
second-leading cause of cancer death in American males – second only
to lung cancer. Roughly 192,280 American males will be diagnosed in
2009, and 27,360 will die because of it. Early diagnosis is absolutely
necessary to reduce your risk of death from this type of cancer –
prostate cancer is almost 100% curable when found in early stages.
Prostate cancer is difficult to diagnose, so it is important for men to
begin seeing their doctors for screening tests at age 50; or at age 40
for high-risk individuals such as African-American men or those with two
or more relatives with the disease.
Anatomy of prostate diseases
 The
prostate is a walnut-sized mass located in the male reproductive system.
It is found below the bladder, just in front of the rectum. The urethra
– the tube which carries urine – runs through the prostate. This
is why prostate conditions can interfere with urination. As men age,
changes in the prostate can cause certain disorders. However, not all
prostate conditions are cancer, in fact, there are three different
diseases which affect the prostate and have similar symptoms.
The first of these diseases is prostatitis or inflammation of the
prostate. This condition is marked by frequent and painful urination.
The second is benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) – a non-cancerous
enlargement of the prostate which is very common in older men. BPH can
also interfere with urination, make it painful and frequent, and slow
the urine stream. The third and most dangerous disease is prostate
cancer, which can have similar symptoms to the other two prostate
diseases, yet it often has no symptoms in early stages. That’s
why it is important to start visiting your doctor at age 50 and to
monitor your specific prostate characteristics before symptoms begin.
The fact is, when prostate cancer is found early – before it has a
chance to spread – the cure rate is close to 100% with treatment.
However, once cancer spreads to the lymph nodes and other organs, the
survival rate drops significantly.
Risk factors for prostate cancer
There are some factors which elevate risk for prostate cancer,
including:
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Age – it most commonly occurs in men over 50, and risk
increases with each passing decade.
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Family history – your risk increases when family
members had the disease. If two or more family members have had
prostate cancer, the risk is five times greater.
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Race – African American men have the highest number of
cases and deaths from this disease of any racial group, therefore it
is particularly important to start screening early.
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Diet and lifestyle – a low-fiber, high-fat diet is
linked to increasing risk of developing prostate cancer. In
order to practice prevention, eat more fruits and vegetables, and
avoid animal fats.
Screening for prostate cancer
There are two screening tests which your doctor will perform to look for
and diagnose prostate cancer. The first is a DRE – Digital Rectal
Exam. This is a complicated way to say that your doctor will insert
a gloved finger into the rectum and feel for an enlarged prostate
(remember, the prostate is located just in front of the rectum).
Although it sounds uncomfortable, this is a necessary test to find
conditions early. The other test is a PSA, or Prostate-Specific
Antigen test. It’s a simple blood test, however, it can carry a risk
of “false-positive” results. Basically, that means your doctor may find
a problem where there really isn’t one, and at that point you will have
to decide with your doctor whether further testing is necessary. These
screenings should start at age 50 or earlier if you are at higher risk.
The Bottom Line
Get screened, be aware of prostate changes and speak to your doctor
about prostate health. Start at age 50, or age 40 if you have any of the
risk factors. Treatment of prostate cancer relies greatly upon when it
is diagnosed, and the good news is that technology and research have
made it very treatable. Again, the earlier prostate cancer is found, the
more likely the outcome will be favorable. Prostate cancer screenings
are covered by Medicare and most insurance companies. For more
information on prostate cancer, contact a Community Health Educator at
(702) 822-5433.
Nevada Cancer Institute is the state-designated cancer institute for
Nevada. Call for presentations on cancer prevention, patient navigation,
treatment, clinical trials and information on donating. NVCI is located
at One Breakthrough Way, Las Vegas, Nevada 89135. (702) 822-LIFE
www.nevadacancerinstitute.org
By Jenny Quade,
M.Ed., CHES
Community Health Educator, Nevada Cancer Institute
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