Prostate cancer is the second-leading cancer found in men, affecting one in every five men, according to the National Cancer Institute. Only skin cancer is more prevalent.
Because prostate cancer affects almost 3 million men in the world at any given time, September is recognized as Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.
Typically, there are no symptoms of early prostate cancer. The lack of symptoms is why prostate cancer screening is so important. Symptoms of advanced cancer can be the presence of blood in urine, a weak flow, trouble urinating and difficulty in completely emptying the bladder. However, it may be too late to cure prostate cancer if we wait for these symptoms to present.
“Prostate cancer can typically be found in men over age 50,” says Dr. Heather Stefaniak of Aurora BayCare Urological Surgeons. “There are two types of tests that are used to screen for prostate cancer – a digital rectal exam and a blood test, which looks for a prostate specific antigen. These tests help determine who needs further testing, such as a prostate biopsy. Both a rectal exam and PSA test should be performed on men ages 50-75 on a regular basis.”
Treatment options vary depending on which of four stages prostate cancer has reached, but it is highly treatable if detected early.
Treatment options include:
- Radiation therapy
- Surgery
- Hormone therapy
- Chemotherapy
- Active surveillance (waiting and keeping an eye on health conditions)
Aurora BayCare Urological Surgeons offers a variety of solutions to help treat prostate cancer.