PSA for Middle-Aged Men ‒ Get Your PSA

Guys, September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and the essential message here is that prostate cancer is the second most common type of cancer for men and regular screenings can lead to early detection, which ‒ as with nearly all cancers ‒ increases your chances of beating the disease.

The bad news, per the American Cancer Society (ACS), is that this year there will be roughly 290,000 new cases and about 35,000 deaths from prostate cancer. The flip side is that prostate cancer is curable, especially when detected and treated early. Here are the relevant survival rates, according to the American Cancer Society:

• 5-year relative survival rate: nearly 100%
• 10-year relative survival rate: 98%
• 15-year relative survival rate: 95%

The takeaway ‒ and one of the main reasons for the awareness month (supporting those afflicted being the other) ‒ is that early detection is essential, and that only occurs through regular screenings.

If you are younger, you can revel in your Gen Y or Gen Z-ness, as prostate cancer rarely occurs in men under 40. In fact, unless you have a family history or have other risk factors, screenings aren’t recommended until you turn 50.

Here are ACS recommendations on when you should discuss screenings with your primary care provider or urologist:

• Age 50 for men who are at average risk of prostate cancer and are expected to live at least 10 more years (because prostate cancer often grows slowly, men without symptoms of prostate cancer who have less than a 10-year life expectancy don’t need screening because they aren’t likely to benefit from it).
• Age 45 for men at high risk of developing prostate cancer. This includes African American men 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).

After this discussion, men who want to be screened should get the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test, a simple, quick draw of a blood sample. The digital rectal exam (DRE) may also be done as a part of screening. If no prostate cancer is found as a result of the screening, the time between future screenings depends on the results of the PSA blood test (retest annually if your PSA level is 2.5 ng/mL or higher, retest every two years if lower than 2.5 ng/mL).

If you aren’t sure if you fit the parameters that suggest a screening, Andalusia Health invites you to visit our website and take a prostate cancer health risk assessment at Health Risk Assessment | Andalusia Health

If you have additional questions, we recommend that you contact your primary care provider. If you currently do not have a primary care provider, you can find one at this link on the Andalusia Health website. Call the corresponding provider’s number or click the “book appointment” button to schedule an appointment.