Fall 2024 5 Prostate cancer awareness Have the screening talk with your doctor Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers for men in the United States. While some prostate cancers grow slowly, others can be aggressive and dangerous. Prostate cancer doesn’t usually have symptoms at first. However, regular checkups provide opportunities for your primary care provider to catch the disease through screening before it spreads. The right time to start screening depends on your risk. It’s a good idea to talk to your doctor about when to begin after you turn 40, says Hussein Alammar, MD, an internal medicine doctor at Texas Health Mansfield. Two tests are used to look for prostate cancer: the digital rectal exam (DRE) and the PSA (prostatespecific antigen) test. The DRE allows the doctor to feel the prostate for bumps or other abnormal areas. The PSA test can detect high levels of PSA in the blood, which can be a sign of prostate cancer. “It’s important to know what your PSA number is and to follow that number,” Dr. Alammar says. If your screening test result is abnormal, you may need to see a urologist for other tests. These may include an MRI scan and possibly a biopsy to check for prostate cancer. What are the symptoms? Difficulty with urinating, such as a slow or weak urine stream, pain in the groin or back, and weight loss without trying can be signs and symptoms of prostate cancer. But again, often, the disease does not cause symptoms until it has advanced. “That’s why we try to focus on early detection,” Dr. Alammar adds. Other ways to protect yourself While there’s no surefire way to prevent prostate cancer, healthy changes might help. To potentially lower your risk: ● Pump up the produce. “Some studies show that diets high in animal fat increase the risk of prostate cancer,” Dr. Alammar notes. ● If you smoke, get help to quit. Smoking is linked to many forms of cancer. ● Know your risk. Talk to your doctor about your family history of prostate cancer. Connect to great care To learn more about Dr. Alammar or to make an appointment, visit TexasHealthMansfield.org/Alammar.
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