Getting older isn’t for the faint of heart, but it certainly beats the alternative! The key to a long and healthy life is to schedule an annual physical and undergo annual prostate health screenings as you approach middle age. Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in men in the U.S., and 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. Like all cancers, early detection is key to achieving the best clinical outcomes, and our team at The Arkansas Prostate Cancer Foundation is here to ensure that those affected don’t have to go through the journey alone.
We offer a patient decision aid to help you determine when to begin regular screenings, and always make it easy to find a free community screening in your area, Approximately 60% of prostate cancers are diagnosed in men older than 65, and we recommend undergoing annual screenings starting at age 45, or earlier if you have a family history of cancer or other risk factors. If you have a father or brother with prostate cancer, it more than doubles your risk of developing the disease. Your risk also increases significantly if any female relatives, particularly your mother or grandmother, have a history of breast cancer or ovarian cancer. Additionally, African-American men and Caribbean men of African ancestry are at a higher risk of developing prostate cancer than other races, with 1 in 6 being diagnosed with prostate cancer.
During our community screening events, we’ll test for Prostate-Specific Antigens (PSA) in the blood. PSA is a protein produced by cells of the prostate gland, and elevated levels can indicate either cancer or benign (non-cancerous) tissues. In the event of suspicious test results, the APCF Patient Navigator will make follow-up contact if further investigation or a biopsy is warranted. The good news is that not all prostate cancer is life-threatening. In fact, the five-year survival rates for prostate cancer are well over 90 percent as long as it’s detected and treated in its early stages! We encourage you to sign up for our newsletter to learn more, and we’re always a phone call away if you have any questions!
To learn more about prostate health or cancer screenings in Little Rock, contact us online or at 501-379-8027
