Prostate cancer typically doesn’t show symptoms until it has progressed in the later stages, which is why it’s important to get screened.
“Prostate cancer affects one out of eight men in the U.S. 300,000 cases are diagnosed in the U.S. each year, and there can be up to 35,000 deaths from prostate cancer,” said Dr. Leann Smith, radiation oncologist, Cancer Centers of Southwest Oklahoma.
Dr. Leann Smith says men need to get screened at 50 unless their brother or father had prostate cancer or are African American. Then, they need to start getting tested when they’re 45, and if they’ve had several relatives with it, they need to start getting screened at 40.
“So it’s important to get screened for prostate cancer because it is such a curable disease if it’s caught early, and because it doesn’t usually show symptoms until it is at a more advanced stage,” Dr. Leann Smith said. “If prostate cancer advances in the prostate, gentlemen can have some urinary symptoms. There can be blood in the semen.”
Early stages can be detected through a PSA screening, which stands for prostate-specific antigen. They look for the high levels through a blood test.
A digital rectal exam or DRE will not be done as it is not recommended for screening because of low sensitivity in detecting prostate cancer and was taken out from the recommendation.
She says it’s important men get screened as they age.
“As we get older, gentlemen are more likely to get prostate cancer and be diagnosed with it,” said Dr. Leann Smith. “Race is a risk factor, so gentlemen of Caribbean or African American descent are at a higher risk for prostate cancer, and another risk factor is just poor eating – a higher fat diet that’s high in cholesterol as well.”
The Cancer Centers of Southwest Oklahoma in Lawton is giving free prostate screenings on September 28. It is by appointment only. Please call 580-536-2121 to set up an appointment.
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