Prostate Cancer Awareness… it’s not Hard
Prostate Cancer Awareness - It’s not hard!
It is not HARD… to determine if you are at risk for developing Prostate Cancer or if cancer is already forming in your body. From personal experience the largest problem with early detection is the "male ego". Men traditionally develop an attitude of "it won't happen to me", or "there is no problem with my performance", or "I'm not having a serious problem". Men create these excuses to justify NOT discussing with your doctor or telling your significant other about a potential problem. Here are the "ADVERTISED" symptoms:
· Pelvic pain
· Frequent need for urination
· Difficult or painful urination
· Blood in the urine
· Painful ejaculation
· Loss of appetite and weight
· Bone pain
You can also develop Prostate Cancer and have NO symptoms hence the tag “Silent Cancer”. Most men are fortunately diagnosed before any of these symptoms develop which is the reason its critical to have an annual examination consisting of a PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) Blood test and a DRE (Digital Rectal Examination) exam.
If you are a Veteran start these tests at the age of 40 since you are in a High-Risk Population and continue as long you like, many doctors will tell you to stop at 70 but others tell you to continue as long as you feel healthy.
If you are experiencing any of the above listed symptoms, ask your doctor about it and if they could be prostate cancer related. Also, if your "NOT AS HARD" as you once were, or if you are "dripping" a little, it’s not always just because you are aging it could be something else, like PROSTATE CANCER. Go get it checked as its very treatable if you just find it early enough.
Below are the FACTS around Prostate Cancer. These are real numbers and pay attention. I am asking that all of you that read this encourage your fathers, sons, uncles, grandfathers, brothers, husbands, and friends to pay attention to this disease. Address it, treat it, and cure it.
FACTS OF PROSTATE CANCER
Each year cancer (overall) kills 14 million people worldwide
· In 2023 it will be reported that Prostate Cancer will have surpassed the number of breast cancer diagnosis in the USA.
· Men are more likely than women to be diagnosed with some type of cancer during their lifetime (50 percent of men compared to 33 percent of women)
· Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in the U.S., affecting one in eight men
· African American men have the highest incidence of prostate cancer and are 40 percent more likely to develop the disease compared to Caucasian men
· Over 15,000 Veterans are diagnosed annual with prostate cancer.
· Men with a family history of prostate cancer are at higher risk for developing prostate cancer
· Every year more than 200,000 American men are diagnosed with prostate cancer; this number increases annually as the general population of aging men increases
· Prostate cancer is the second largest cancer killer of men following lung cancer; approximately 30,000 men will die this year from prostate cancer (average of 82 men every day)
· If detected early, prostate cancer is often treatable and curable.
· More than 3 million U.S. men are survivors of prostate cancer
· Men with a body mass index over 32.5 have about a one-third greater risk of dying from prostate cancer than men who are not obese
· Screening for prostate cancer includes a PSA (prostate specific antigen) blood test and a DRE (digital rectal exam); a biopsy is required to diagnose prostate cancer
· There is confusion over inconsistent messages about the value of PSA testing for prostate cancer; we fear that this is causing some men to forego testing for early detection resulting in physicians seeing an increase in prostate cancer initially diagnosed at an advanced stage. Bottom Line – GET TESTED and Know Your PSA Number.
· Rather than any “quick fix” for prostate cancer, there are many treatment options and related side effects that each patient needs to evaluate.
Bottom line "it’s not hard" to figure out if you have a symptom. Go and address it like a MAN!