Regular checkups important to protect prostate health

Being mindful of prostate health can help save your life, particularly if cancer is detected early.

That's why urologists and other physicians at MCG Health System continue to recommend that men over 50 undergo an annual digital rectal exam and prostate specific antigen, or PSA, test to check for signs of prostate cancer. African-American men and those with a family history of prostate cancer are recommended to begin prostate cancer checks at age 40.

In most cases, prostate cancer is a slow-growing cancer. A combination digital rectal exam and PSA test enable physicians to find signs of prostate cancer early. If a biopsy confirms the presence of cancer, early detection gives patients the most treatment options. The digital rectal exam looks for firmness or lumps and bumps on the gland's surface, while the PSA test checks if levels of prostate specific antigen-which rise if the prostate is enlarged-are normal.

Even if a person has no symptoms, the annual prostate checks remain important. Prostate cancer in its early stages often has no symptoms. By the time symptoms occur, the cancer has often spread and may be untreatable.

Those at particular risk for prostate cancer continue to be:

· Older men. The risk of prostate cancer increases with age.

· Those whose diet is high in animal fat. A study by MCG urologist and researcher Dr. Martha Terris also recently found that obesity makes prostate cancer harder to detect.

· Those with a family history. If a man's father or an older sibling has had prostate cancer, he is at increased risk. Also, African-American men are at increased risk.

While no clear cause for prostate cancer has been found, experts believe there are steps you can take to decrease your risk. If you are a smoker, quit. Get plenty of exercise. And a recent small study suggests that a low-fat diet combined with regular exercise and stress management can help lower PSA levels.

Thanks to advances in treatment techniques, a cure is possible for a large percentage of men with the disease. Treatments include:

· Prostate removal, via traditional or laparoscopic methods.

· Radiation therapy, including implantation of radioactive seeds in the prostate (brachytherapy) that help spare normal tissue.

· Chemotherapy.

· Investigational therapies such as cryotherapy.

· Hormone therapy.

Remember, awareness of the risk factors and the importance of annual checkups can help decrease your risk of developing prostate cancer.

— Dr. Ron Lewis
Section Chief of Urology
MCG Health System