Should men be worried about prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer is the second most diagnosed cancer in men after skin cancer. About 1 in 9 men in the United States will get prostate cancer in their lifetime. Most men diagnosed with the disease will not die from it. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 3.1 million American men are living with a diagnosis of prostate cancer. But the disease kills about 2% -3% of men in the United States each year.

“When five years of survival are considered, and this is a metric that most organizations use to determine prostate cancer aggression, prostate cancer, even in some of its advanced stages, still has nearly 100%. five-year survival. And that’s different from the perspective of someone who has pancreatic or brain cancer, where five-year survival isn’t even 15% sometimes, “says Mayo Clinic urologist Dr. Raymond Pak. . “In five to 10 years, survival for untreated prostate cancer can even approach 100% for some types of prostate cancer. So I consult patients based on that and tell them to put things in perspective. I encourage everyone. my patients to make long-term plans yet and to have a positive outlook because the landscape of prostate cancer treatment is also changing, and it’s a dynamic process. “

Early diagnosis is often the key to survival. Prostate cancer screening guidelines consider a number of risk factors, including age, race, and family history.

“Currently, the American Urologic Association supports screening for average-risk men between the ages of 55 and 69. And then before 55, it really should be a shared decision and discussion based on risk factors,” says the dr. Pak. “So what are these risk factors? Men with a family history of prostate cancer is an example. A significant family history would be a first degree relative, such as a father or brother with prostate cancer, or a more distant relative,” but at least two distant relatives with prostate cancer. And then any other strong family history of hereditary colon, breast and prostate cancer, of course, should be considered in a younger age group. So between 40 and 55 is that. high-risk group that we need to check for family history or strong race. African American men should also be considered to be screened first under 55.

Prostate cancer screening involves the combination of a prostate exam by a healthcare professional and a prostate specific antigen blood test. Unlike some cancers, prostate cancer often has no symptoms. And if a man develops symptoms, it usually means the cancer is at an advanced stage.

“Symptoms such as blood in the urine, painful urination, inability to urinate or pain in the hips and spine, can all be very advanced presentations of prostate cancer. So this is exactly why we actively screen men in specific age groups. age, because there are no symptoms whatsoever, ”says Dr. Pak.

Low-risk, non-aggressive prostate cancer is the most common type detected. And, in these cases, active surveillance is usually advised. Your doctor carefully checks the cancer with tests to see if the cancer is growing or causing symptoms. If the cancer has progressed to a more advanced stage, treatment options may include surgery, radiation therapy, medications, and other therapies.

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