Medical Update September 2023

Medical Guide, September 2023— 17 P rostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer. Prostate cancer is a very slow- growing cancer that is often confined to the prostate. Prostate cancer may require minimal treatment or no treatment at all, advises the Mayo Clinic. Most prostate cancers are found early due to screening, which bodes well for affected men. When caught early - when it’s still only in the prostate gland - the likelihood of successfully treating the disease is high. Men can be their own best advocates in the fight against prostate cancer. Recognizing early symptoms of prostate cancer can give individuals an early leg up on getting help quickly. The American Cancer Society says most early prostate cancers cause no symptoms. However, other prostate cancers can cause symptoms such as: Problems urinating, which includes slow or weak urinary stream or the need to urinate more often; • erectile dysfunction; • blood in the urine or semen; • pain in the hips, spine, ribs, or other areas from cancer that has spread to bones; and/or • weakness or numbness in the legs or feet, or even loss of bowel or bladder control from the cancer pressing on the spinal cord. If any of these symptoms are present, a person should consult with a doctor for further screening. Early prostate cancer signs E very three minutes a man is diagnosed with prostate cancer. In fact, the disease is so common that one in nine men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime. Fortunately, men have lots of tools at their disposal, including prostate cancer screenings, that can help them fi nd prostate cancer in its earliest, most treatable stages. The discussion surrounding prostate cancer screenings has changed in recent years. Whereas such screenings were once recommended for all men once they reached a certain age, the American Cancer Society now advises men to gather as much information as they can, including speaking with their physicians about the uncertainties and risks as well as the potential bene fi ts of screenings, before making their decisions on their own. There are two types of prostate exams that men can discuss with their physicians. The Prostate Cancer Foundation recommends men begin these discussions around the time they turn 50, or earlier for men with a family history of prostate cancer. • DRE: During a digital rectal exam, or DRE, a doctor will lubricate a gloved fi nger and insert it into a patient’s rectum. The prostate is just in front of the rectum, and the DRE will let a doctor know if the prostate is enlarged or in irregular shape. Many men fi nd the DRE uncomfortable, but the exam is brief and should not be painful. • PSA test: The PSA test is a blood test that measures the level of prostate-speci fi c antigen, or PSA, in the blood. PSA is a protein that’s naturally produced by the prostate. Rising PSA levels are often one of the fi rst signs of prostate cancer. However, the PCF notes that abnormally high PSA levels are not necessarily indicative of prostate cancer. So in order to fully evaluate the results of a PSA test, doctors will consider a patient’s age, the size of his prostate, previous PSA test results, and the patient’s medical history, including past and current medication use. If test results show an irregularity or indicate an enlarged prostate, doctors may recommend repeating the tests after an interval of time. That’s because an enlarged prostate is not always indicative of prostate cancer, and sometimes it may just be symptomatic of a temporary condition that goes away before the next exam. If there are no causes for concern after an exam, doctors may advise repeating the tests at regular intervals of one to two years. There are risks associated with prostate cancer screenings, and men should discuss these risks with their physicians and their families. More information is available at www.pcf. org. Explaining prostate cancer exams