All men are at risk for prostate cancer. In fact, nearly 13% of men in the United States will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in their lifetime, according to the National Cancer Institute. The most common risk factor is age: The older you are, the more you are at risk.

But there is good news: 97.5% of men survive for five years or more after being diagnosed with prostate cancer. Early detection of prostate cancer is one key to surviving the disease. The five-year survival rate for localized prostate cancer – cancer that has not spread beyond the prostate – is greater than 99%.

Know When to Be Screened

Prostate cancer is most often found in men ages 65 and older, but it can occur in younger men. Prostate cancer affects the gland located below the bladder and in front of the rectum. It also wraps around part of the urethra. This is why symptoms can include a frequent need to urinate and a weak stream of urine.

Screening tests, such as a digital rectal exam or prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test, can check for prostate cancer before it causes symptoms. You should discuss the potential advantages, risks and limitations of screening with your healthcare provider.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that these conversations take place between the ages of 55 and 69. The American Cancer Society (ACS) recommends that they begin at age 50, unless you have a higher-than-average risk for prostate cancer.

According to the ACS, African American men or men with a first-degree relative who had prostate cancer before age 65 should begin speaking with their providers at age 45. A first-degree relative is your parent, sibling or child. Men with two or more first-degree relatives who had cancer before age 65 should talk with their provider at age 40.

Learn About Available Treatments

Many treatment options are available for men with prostate cancer, including surgery and radiation therapy. Other choices include watchful waiting or active surveillance.

Watchful waiting means monitoring a person’s condition until signs or symptoms change. Active surveillance means having certain exams and tests to check if the cancer is growing. By choosing watchful waiting or active surveillance, men may avoid potential treatment complications, such as impotence and incontinence.

Here’s why watchful waiting or active surveillance can be an option: Unlike some other cancers, prostate cancer usually advances slowly. It can take up to 30 years for a tumor to grow large enough to produce symptoms.

Watchful waiting and active surveillance aren’t for everyone, though. Surgery remains a common way to try to cure prostate cancer that hasn’t spread to other parts of the body. While some procedures focus on the tumor, the surgery most often performed removes the entire prostate gland.

Some questions to consider when reviewing treatment options are:

• If I choose active surveillance, how often would I need to have tests?
• How do I feel about potential side effects of treatment versus knowing I have cancer in my body?
• If I have treatment, how comfortable am I with waiting to know the results? Am I more comfortable with well-established options or open to the latest technology?

There’s usually no need to rush into a decision. As you consider your options, it may help to talk with your family or friends, as well as others who currently have or previously faced prostate cancer.

If you are looking for a primary care provider who can discuss prostate cancer screenings, Aultman Medical Group Primary Care has dozens of physicians and providers across the region, in your community, who are accepting new patients. Visit aultman.org/NewDoc or call our new patient hotline at 330-433-1264.

Sources:
National Cancer Institute
The StayWell Company, LLC