I recently wrote an article on how tomatoes are good for the prostate. What I failed to mention was the importance of early detection for prostate cancer. It has become increasingly well-known that as we approach middle-age, our doctors will recommend a mammogram for women and prostate checks for men. This is incredibly important for both sexes.

Prostate cancer is the 2nd most common cancer in America (skin cancer is number one). American men have a 1 in 6 chance of developing this cancer, and most of these men will develop it after the age of 40. And if you have family members with prostate cancer you are 2-4 times as likely to acquire this disease. So, why is it so important to check on our prostate? Caught early and treated properly, prostate cancer has more than a 90% cure rate.

These tests are simple. Most doctors today use two different tests to screen for prostate cancer. The first is a pretty simple blood test. After taking a small sample, the blood is analyzed for increased levels of Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA). This protein is secreted by the prostate our entire life, but when something goes wrong with the prostate, these levels will start to rise significantly. A high PSA level could mean cancer, but it could also mean the man has prostatitis, or Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy (BPH). These two none cancerous conditions both cause of swelling of the prostate, and may have the same symptoms as prostate cancer.

The second test used to evaluate men for prostate cancer is the Digital Rectal Exam (DRE). Performed in your doctor’s office, this quick procedure can be very sensitive for differentiating between cancerous and non-cancerous conditions of the prostate. It can also be used quite effectively for detecting small nodules, and enlargements in the prostate which could represent early signs of prostate disorders. The American Cancer Society suggests that these two procedures should be offered every year to men over the age of 50. And for men with a family history of prostate cancer, or for African-American men, they recommend starting these tests at the age of 45.

Most family physicians will perform these exams, and as I already mentioned, if caught early you have a greater than 90% chance of being cured. This is not something you should wait to have checked; when the symptoms start to appear your chances of survival start to go down. The earliest symptoms are: frequent, hesitant, or burning urination, difficulty in having an erection, or pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips or upper thighs.

If you wait, it may be too late. Men are 35% more likely to develop prostate cancer than women are to develop breast cancer. Lets catch it early, and be more proactive. For more information, visit: www.prostatecancerfoundation.org, or talk to you doctor.

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