[By David J. Kozminski, MD, Capital Region Urology, a member of St. Peter’s Health Partners Medical Associates.]
September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and an excellent time to examine the importance of age-appropriate screening.
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men, both in New York state and the United States, following only skin cancer. According to the NYS Department of Health, about 14,000 men are diagnosed annually with prostate cancer in our state and 1,700 men die of the disease. It follows only lung cancer in cancer-related mortality in American men. Worldwide, it is the fifth leading cause of cancer mortality in men.
One in eight men in the U.S. will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. For men with Black ancestry, the numbers approach one in six. Chances are good that someone you know has been affected by prostate cancer.
How do you improve your chances of survival from this common, treatable cancer? Early detection! The American Urological Association recommends screening in most men starting at age 50 with a simple blood test called PSA, which stands for “prostate specific antigen.” PSA is a protein detected in your blood, made by your prostate, and can be drawn with your regular lab work ordered by your primary care provider. Your care provider may also want to perform a digital rectal exam as part of regular screening.
In men with higher risk to develop prostate cancer—those with Black ancestry, a family history of prostate cancer, common germline mutations, or those with a prior atypical prostate biopsy or elevated PSA—regular screening should start between 40 and 45.
The prostate is a walnut-sized gland located below the bladder, around the urethra. The urethra runs through the center of the prostate, from the bladder to the penis, allowing urine to flow out of the body. As we age, our prostates can grow in size due to testosterone stimulation, and our PSA levels can naturally rise over time. Enlarged prostates can eventually cause bothersome urinary symptoms in men.
Prostate cancer occurs when normal cells within the prostate mutate and grow out of control, forming a tumor or collection of abnormal cells. But prostate cancers in early stages do not often cause urinary symptoms, and men typically do not have symptoms until prostate cancer is at an advanced stage. Your PSA level may be the earliest detectable sign that cancer cells are present.
Here’s the key: When prostate cancer is diagnosed early, and the disease is still localized to the prostate, it is highly curable with surgery or radiation. When prostate cancer is detected in more advanced stages, it is no longer curable, though treatment options still exist.
After an elevated PSA is detected, you should be referred to a urologist for management. Your urologist may want to perform a digital rectal exam, consider prostate imaging with an MRI, and use shared decision making with you to discuss the pros and cons of a prostate biopsy.
Before September turns to October, and Prostate Cancer Awareness Month comes to a close, men should consider age-appropriate PSA screening.
The team at Capital Region Urology has decades of experience working with patients to screen for elevated PSA, manage diagnosis of prostate cancer, and guide them through cutting-edge treatments.
We have multiple clinics throughout the Capital Region including Albany, Troy, and Clifton Park. For more information, visit Urology | St. Peter’s Health Partners or call the office most convenient to you.
Troy
2231 Burdett Ave., Suite 160, Troy, NY 12180
518-272-1333
Clifton Park
1735 US-9, Clifton Park, NY 12065
518-525-1789
Albany
South Manning Blvd., Suite 106, Albany, NY 12208
518-438-1019
4 Executive Park Drive, 2nd Floor, Albany, NY 12203
518-489-7494
