Prostate Cancer

Why you should get checked for prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in American males, behind only skin cancer. It is also the number-two cause of death for cancer patients, so it is very important to get screened annually to minimize your risk. If it’s detected early, there are prostate cancer treatment options that can eliminate or significantly reduce the cancerous tumors. With synthetic testosterone replacement, prostate removal is no longer as debilitating as it used to be. Most men are able to regain normal sexual function after a short recovery period.

Symptoms

Common prostate cancer symptoms include difficulty urinating or emptying the bladder completely. Frequent need for urination, weak or intermittent flow, and pain or burning may also indicate the presence of prostate cancer. In more severe stages of the disease, prostate cancer may cause lethargy or unexplainable weight loss.

Testing

The best test for prostate cancer is still the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. This measures the proteins produced by the cells of the prostate gland. Chemicals such as these are sometimes called tumor markers or biological markers. A high PSA number is not necessarily evidence of prostate cancer, but it’s an indication that your doctor should perform additional tests to determine whether cancer is present. The PSA test is simple and not too invasive, requiring only a small blood sample.

There are also benign conditions that can look similar to prostate cancer symptoms. The most common of these is enlargement of the prostate gland, also called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). BPH can cause restriction of the urine flow or a frequent need to urinate. It can be easily treated through medication or surgery. Another common condition is prostatitis, or inflammation of the prostate. While neither one of these conditions can cause cancer by itself, there is research showing a possible connection, so visit your doctor immediately if you feel any symptoms.

If you do test high for PSA, your doctor will do more testing to find out if you have prostate cancer or one of the benign prostate conditions. The most common test is the digital rectal exam (DRE), which checks the prostate from inside of the body. This test is usually part of a standard physical for males over a certain age. Annual PSA testing is usually recommended for males over 40, but this may depend on your medical insurance. Some common carriers do not cover PSA exams until the age of 50.