September is Prostate Health Month

PROstate of Mind: The Mindset That Could Save Your Life This September
 
September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and the Urology Care Foundation (UCF), the official foundation of the American Urological Association (AUA), is calling on people with prostates to shift into a PROstate of Mind: a reminder to be proactive, not reactive, when it comes to prostate health.
 
According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer remains the most common cancer in American men after skin cancer, with 313,780 new cases expected in 2025. Roughly 1 in 35 people with prostates will die from prostate cancer, and in 2025, there are expected to be 35,770 deaths, making it the second-leading cause of cancer death in men after lung cancer.

“Men need to encourage other men to get checked. Sharing my story of being diagnosed at a young age has opened eyes and pushed men to take action,” explained prostate cancer survivor Gabe Canales. “In 15 years of advocacy, I have seen how early detection can change the course of a man’s life, and how waiting too long can take that chance away. We need to normalize honest conversations about prostate cancer and the importance of catching it early. I have been on active surveillance for 15 years, staying on top of medical appointments and making lifestyle changes to improve my health.”
 
Why Proactivity Matters:
When detected early, prostate cancer is highly treatable, with a 5-year relative survival rate of 97.9%. Yet, diagnoses of advanced-stage prostate cancer have been rising steadily, up 5% per year since 2014.

“With early detection, prostate cancer is highly treatable. Screening gives men the chance not only for longer life, but for healthier years with the people they love,” explained Dr. Adam Weiner, a urologic oncologist at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA.
 
Know Your Risk:
Nearly 1 in 8 people with prostates will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. But the odds increase to:

• 1 in 6 for African American men
• 1 in 5 for those with a family history 

Other risk factors include age (most cases occur in people over 65), exposure to harmful chemicals, weight and certain occupations such as farming, firefighting and military service.
 
Know the Symptoms:
In its early stages, prostate cancer may have no symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they can be urinary symptoms like those of an enlarged prostate or Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH).

Talk with your health care provider if you have any of these symptoms:

• Dull pain in the lower pelvic zone
• Frequent need to pass urine
• Trouble passing urine, pain, burning or weak urine flow
• Blood in the urine (hematuria)
• Painful ejaculation
• Pain in the lower back, hips or upper thighs
• Loss of hunger
• Loss of weight
• Bone pain

Screening Recommendations:
The American Urological Association recommends:

• People with prostates ages 45 to 69 with average risk should talk to their doctor about screening.
• People with prostates at higher risk (African American, family history) should consider screening as early as 40 to 54.

​Let’s make 2025 the year we all commit to being in a PROstate of Mind — because when it comes to prostate cancer, proactivity saves lives.

Learn more about prostate cancer. Please visit:
 
Urology Care Foundation

---