HEALTH & WELLNESS
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Screenings key to catching
prostate cancer early
September is Prostate Cancer
Awareness Month, and the message is
clear: Prostate cancer screenings help
save lives. It is a simple test, routinely
performed during an annual physical
exam whereby a doctor assesses the
prostate for enlargement or abnormalities, and checks the blood
with what is known as a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test. PSA is
a protein secreted only by the prostate, and is easily measured in the
blood of all men.
If the PSA level falls outside a normal range, additional testing
may be required to determine if the individual has prostate cancer.
The PSA test can help detect cancer before the onset of symptoms,
and that is when such tests help to save lives.
Remember these facts and tips:
Because symptoms typically develop once the disease has progressed to an advanced stage, the best time to check for, and treat,
prostate cancer is when there are no symptoms.
Prostate cancer has better treatment outcomes when detected
early.
If you have symptoms that include painful urination, blood in the
urine or persistent pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips or upper
thighs, it is essential for you to be evaluated
by a doctor, as soon as possible.
For many years, when prostate cancer
was detected, a biopsy was the primary evaluation and monitoring tool. But biopsies
have inherent shortcomings. Tissue samples
from one area of the prostate may not reveal the presence of cancerous cells in another area of the organ.
Advances in three-dimensional imaging, known as multi-parametric MRI, offer doctors a new tool that allows them to monitor the
entire prostate, and helps guide decisions on treatment options.
Sometimes, surgery may be required to remove the prostate and
surrounding lymph nodes. Other times, radiation and
brachytherapy – which implants tiny radioactive “seeds” directly
into the tissue – may be recommended.
So, this month – and every month, if you are older than 40 – ask
your doctor to perform an annual screening as part of your routine
physical. d
To learn more about the pros, cons and side effects of available prostate
cancer treatment options, visit cancercenter.com/prostate-cancer.
www.njcopsmagazine.com
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SEPTEMBER 2016
79