To increase the chance of early detection of prostate cancer, the American Cancer Society recommends that men talk to their doctor about screening as follows:
- Age 50 for men who are at average risk of prostate cancer and are expected to live at least 10 more years.
- Age 45 for men at high risk of developing prostate cancer. This includes African Americans and men who have a first-degree relative (father or brother) diagnosed with prostate cancer at an early age (younger than age 65).
- Age 40 for men at even higher risk (those with more than one first-degree relative who had prostate cancer at an early age).
Along with providing a medical history to your provider, screening includes testing to find cancer before you have symptoms. Finding cancers at an early stage is important because cancers are easier to treat when diagnosed early.
Testing for prostate cancer includes:
- A blood test to check prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels in the blood
- A digital rectal exam to check the prostate gland
If the results of either the PSA blood test or rectal exam are not normal, further testing such as a prostate biopsy is often done.
Prostate cancer is rare in men younger than 40, but the chance of having prostate cancer rises rapidly after age 50. About 60 percent of prostate cancers are found in men older than 65. Having a brother or father with prostate cancer more than doubles the risk of developing this disease.
In the early stages, there are usually no symptoms of prostate cancer. When symptoms do appear, they may include:
- Painful urination
- Difficulty or inability to urinate
- Frequent urination
- Decreased strength of urine stream
- Waking at night to urinate
- Blood in the urine or semen
- Painful ejaculation
- Deep pain in the lower back, abdomen, hip or pelvis
- Loss of appetite and/ or weight
- Persistent bone pain
If you have any of these symptoms, contact our office to schedule an appointment as soon as possible. Our clinics are conveniently located around the state of Arkansas. And we are staffed with specialists who are experts in diagnosing and treating prostate cancer.
At Arkansas Urology, we’re here for you. Our patients’ health has been and will always be our top priority! Are you concerned about prostate cancer? Contact us today to schedule your appointment, or book your appointment online.
