It’s a fact: one out of six American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime. And, it’s the second most common cancer among American men. With odds like that, you need to know what prostate cancer is, whether you’re at risk and how prostate cancer is treated. Risha Foster, MD, Urologist on staff at Adventist La Grange Memorial Hospital offers you this prostate cancer primer.

What is prostate cancer?
Like all cancers, prostate cancer is caused when malignant cells within the body grow, taking over healthy cells. In this case, the cancer originates in the prostate gland. Unlike other cancers, prostate cancer tends to be slow growing and in many cases, does not show up until later in a man’s life.

“About 85 percent of patients are diagnosed after the age of 65,” says Dr. Foster. But, that doesn’t mean you should ignore it if you’re still in your 30s, 40s or 50s. “Knowing the risk factors and making sure you communicate with your doctor can help diagnose cancer early when it is highly treatable.”

Risk factors include:
• Age: Being over age 50 increases your risk.
• Family history: If your dad, grandfather or brother had prostate cancer, your risk is increased.
• Ethnicity: African-American men are at increased risk.
• Diet: Eating lots of fatty foods may be linked to an increased risk for prostate cancer.

How prostate cancer is detected
Prostate cancer screenings involve a blood test – called a PSA test – and a physical exam – the digital rectal exam, or DRE.  The PSA test measures the prostate-specific antigen, a protein made by your prostate, in your blood. Elevated PSA levels or other physical abnormalities found during your screening may indicate the presence of cancer. Because the prostate gland grows as you age, doctors recommend getting both the blood test and physical exam.  (Adventist Midwest Health is offering FREE prostate cancer screenings. Call 866-533-7968 to schedule yours.)

The general guideline is for men to get their prostate cancer screening at the age of 50 or 45 if they have an elevated risk for prostate cancer. “There is some debate as to when men should be screened,” says Dr. Foster, “but the American Urologic Association recommends getting a baseline test at age 40.” Talk with your doctor to determine when you should schedule your first screening.

The frequency of subsequent screenings will depend on the results of your baseline screening and your overall risk factors. “The baseline screening gives us something to reference during future tests that could make it easier to notice a jump in PSA levels,” Dr. Foster explains.

Men with early stage prostate cancer may not experience any physical symptoms, which makes getting screened even more important. Dr. Foster stresses that you should see a doctor right away if you experience blood in your urine, difficulty urinating, pelvic pain or bone pain, as they could be indicators of prostate cancer.

Treatment and prevention
Treatment of prostate cancer reflects the disease’s unique characteristics, namely its slow growing nature and late-in-life appearance.

Generally, there are four types of treatment:
• Active surveillance: Keeping close watch on a low-grade tumor to see if it becomes more aggressive.
• Radiation: External beam radiation treatment sends a dose of radiation to the tumor to kill the cancerous cells. Brachytherapy is a form of radiation that implants small, seed-like radioactive pieces inside the prostate to attack the cancerous cells from within.
• Surgery: A surgeon removes the prostate gland through a minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure.
• Chemotherapy: For prostate cancer, chemotherapy is most often used in advanced cases to extend a patient’s life and enhance his quality of life.

“When deciding on a treatment, we always consider the man’s overall health and age. For example, an older man with other health problems may not need – or want – aggressive treatment for his prostate cancer.” At Adventist Midwest Health, physicians work with patients and their entire cancer care team to create a multi-disciplinary treatment plan customized for each patient.

While there’s no proven method to prevent prostate cancer, knowing your family history and getting regular prostate cancer screenings are two ways to pinpoint your risk.

“Some men may be nervous about getting their prostate cancer screening,” says Dr. Foster. “They need to know that screening is really the best chance they have to detect this cancer early when it’s most treatable.”

Take advantage of a FREE prostate cancer screening offered through Adventist Midwest Health by calling 866-533-7968.