PREVENT
Posted September 28, 2020
The prostate gland is a small, walnut-shaped structure between the bladder and the penis. Almost 200,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year. It most often impacts men over age 60. It is the second-leading cause of cancer death in men after lung cancer. The good news is that prostate cancer often can be successfully monitored and treated when it is detected early. That’s why it’s important to talk to your primary care provider about the risks and benefits of prostate cancer screening.
By age 50, about half of all men have small changes in the size and shape of the cells in their prostate. This is called prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) which can be a precursor to cancer. If PIN is present, the best strategy is to have a biopsy to check for cancer. If PIN is the only finding, then yearly follow-up screening with a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test and digital rectal examination (DRE) is recommended.
If your PSA result is above the expected range, your provider will talk to you about what the reading means. This conversation will include information on your risks, and monitoring and treatment options so you can make an informed decision about your health.
Treatment depends on your age and general health, the stage and grade of the cancer, whether or not it has spread, and side effects of treatment.
Talk with your provider about ways to lower your risk of prostate cancer. These may include lifestyle measures, such as a diet lower in animal fats and high in fruits and vegetables as well as exercise. There are no medicines or supplements approved by the FDA for preventing prostate cancer.
The best advice to catch prostate cancer early is for men see a primary care provider yearly with a prostate cancer screen starting at age 50, or earlier if you’re at high risk.
Learn more about prostate and testicular cancer services at Allina Health.
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