Prostate Cancer Awareness

Flipping from breast cancer, which mainly affects women, I will be talking about Prostate Cancer for the men. As previously mentioned, The American Cancer Society has a great deal of information on all types of cancers. The facts blow come directly from the page about Prostate Cancer: 

"Other than skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men. The latest American Cancer Society estimates for prostate cancer in the United States are for 2012:

• About 241,740 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed
• About 28,170 men will die of prostate cancer

About 1 man in 6 will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime.

Prostate cancer occurs mainly in older men. Nearly two thirds are diagnosed in men aged 65 or older, and it is rare before age 40. The average age at the time of diagnosis is about 67.

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men, behind only lung cancer. About 1 man in 36 will die of prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer can be a serious disease, but most men diagnosed with prostate cancer do not die from it. In fact, more than 2.5 million men in the United States who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point are still alive today."

http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/ProstateCancer/DetailedGuide/prostate-cancer-key-statistics

Like all cancers, early detection is key. Test can be run to determine if you have prostate cancer. These tests include a blood test or a rectal exam. While these test are not 100% accurate, they have caused the death rate to drop dramatically. The American Cancer Society suggests that men over the age of 50 talk to their health care provider about screening for prostate cancer. To find out more about the early detection of prostate cancer, you can read more through this link. 

Something men should watch for is there PSA (Prostate-specific antigen) levels. Your risk of prostate cancer goes up as these levels go up. The American Cancer Society has posted ways to watch your PSA levels:

"Factors that might affect PSA levels

The PSA level can also be increased by things other than prostate cancer, such as:

• An enlarged prostate: Conditions such as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate that many men get as they grow older, may raise PSA levels.
• Older age: PSA levels normally go up slowly as you get older, even if you have no prostate abnormality.
• Prostatitis: This term refers to infection or inflammation of the prostate gland, which may raise PSA levels.
• Ejaculation: This can cause the PSA to go up for a short time, and then go down again. This is why some doctors suggest that men abstain from ejaculation for 2 days before testing.
• Riding a bicycle: Some studies have suggested that cycling may raise PSA levels (possibly because the seat puts pressure on the prostate), although not all studies have found this.
• Certain urologic procedures: Some procedures done in a doctor's office that affect the prostate, such as a prostate biopsy or cystoscopy, may result in higher PSA levels for a short time. Some studies have suggested that a digital rectal exam (DRE) might raise PSA levels slightly, although other studies have not found this. Still, if both a PSA test and a DRE are being done during a doctor visit, some doctors advise having the blood drawn for the PSA before having the DRE, just in case.
• Certain medicines: Taking testosterone (or other medicines that raise testosterone levels) may cause a rise in PSA.

Some things may cause PSA levels to go down (even if cancer is present):

• Certain medicines: Certain drugs used to treat BPH or urinary symptoms, such as finasteride (Proscar or Propecia) or dutasteride (Avodart), may lower PSA levels. You should tell your doctor if you are taking these medicines, because they will lower PSA levels and require the doctor to adjust the reading.
• Herbal mixtures: Some mixtures that are sold as dietary supplements may also mask a high PSA level. This is why it is important to let your doctor know if you are taking any type of supplement, even ones that are not necessarily meant for prostate health. Saw palmetto (an herb used by some men to treat BPH) does not seem to affect PSA.
• Obesity: Obese men tend to have lower PSA levels.
• Aspirin: Some recent research has suggested that men who take aspirin regularly may have lower PSA levels. This effect may be greater in non-smokers. More research is needed to confirm this finding. If you take aspirin regularly (such as to help prevent heart disease), talk to your doctor before you stop taking it for any reason."

http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/ProstateCancer/DetailedGuide/prostate-cancer-detection

Other sites that deal with the detection and treatment of Prostate Cancer are the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) and the Cancer Treatment Centers of America. These sites help those affected with Prostate Cancer to cope with their disease. They provide facts, figures, and other information so those affected can be well informed. They also provide stories from others affected by prostate cancer. 

Another good site to check out is Athletes for a Cure. This is an organization that hosts different activities that raise money for Prostate Cancer research. This site uses any type of athletic event to raise money. You can even create your own event to support the cause. 

As I said in my post about Breast Cancer, it is your job to keep yourself and your loved ones safe. Ladies, tell the men in your life to be screened for Prostate Cancer. Men, remember to get screened for the benefit of us worrying women.