Over 41,000 Black men in the U.S. will discover that they have prostate cancer this year. In fact, about one in six will receive a diagnosis of the disease at a certain point in their life. Meanwhile, it affects one in eight Caucasian men.
In terms of death rates, the differences are substantial. Black men are two times more prone of dying from the disease than other men. It’s one of the greater racial disproportions witnessed in cancer.
However, don’t let this scare you. BlackDoctor.Org is here to list eight life-saving facts every brother should know about prostate cancer.
1. Rectal Exams are Not Required With Prostate Cancer Screenings
Getting a prostate cancer screening does not necessarily mean you need a rectal exam. The purpose of the screening is to receive a blood test to figure out how much prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is found in your blood.
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If your PSA is considered an abnormality, the next step is to do an MRI to help assess whether there are suspicious regions in the prostate that display cancer. An MRI is essential for determining whether to conduct a biopsy.
If you’re being recommended for surgery, a rectal exam might give you more direction on treatment options. The exam can point your doctors toward the location of the abnormal areas within the prostate.
RELATED: Prostate Cancer In Black Men: What We Need To Know
2. Earlier Detection Leads to More Treatment Alternatives
Prostate cancer is far easier to treat upon early detection, making screening imperative. The American Urological Association suggests that individuals with normal risk begin prostate cancer screenings once they turn 50.
BlackDoctor.Org recommends speaking with your doctor during your 40s to find out if a prostate cancer screening is necessary before reaching age 50 depending on your risk level.
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The earlier you tackle the problem, the more decisions you’ll be granted. The longer you choose to wait and push it off, the slimmer those options become.
Treatment can differ based on the stage of diagnosis. Factors such as the severity of the cancer, your age, or other medical conditions are things to consider.
The goal is to work with your physician to be on the same page when it comes to picking a treatment, which sometimes requires several alternatives if the prostate cancer is intense.
3. An Abnormal PSA Test is Not Always an Indication of Prostate Cancer
A PSA test is a blood test used to screen for prostate cancer, but its accuracy is not 100 percent. A PSA test can be abnormal for a handful of reasons besides prostate cancer.
One could be an enlarged prostate, a noncancerous, normal condition that affects men as they age. PSA tests are solely one aspect of the screening process in its entirety, and talking about this test with a urologist can be insightful.
4. Black Men Have a Greater Probability of Prostate Cancer
Research highlights that one in seven Black men will get prostate cancer throughout their lifespan. Black American men are twice more prone to get diagnosed with prostate cancer and have a higher chance of being diagnosed with a more threatening type of cancer. With that, screening is critical.
5. Family History Amplifies Possibility
If your dad, your brother, or another close relative has had prostate cancer, mention it to your doctor. They might tell you to get a screening earlier on because family history raises the likelihood of prostate cancer.
At the end of the day, if you know you fall under the high-risk category, consult with your doctor about the pros and cons of annual rectal and PSA examinations.
6. Being Asymptomatic Still Means You Can Have Prostate Cancer
Unless cancer has spread outside of the prostate, roughly 95 percent of cases don’t have any symptoms. For early detection cases, it is usually a result of someone’s PSA being elevated, so screening is extremely crucial.
7. The Older You Get, The Greater Prospect of Prostate Cancer Increasing
After turning 65, your chance of prostate cancer skyrockets considerably. About six in 10 men who receive a diagnosis of prostate cancer are older than 65.
8. Physical Health and Lifestyle Make A Difference
Healthy lifestyle shifts can make all the difference in decreasing the likelihood of prostate cancer. Some of those modifications include, but are not limited to:
- Keeping a healthy weight
- Consuming less red meat and incorporating more green, leafy vegetables
- Working out consistently
- Cutting smoking
- Keeping stress levels to a minimum
While following healthy dietary guidelines, changing your lifestyle, and getting recommended screenings can lessen the risk of prostate cancer, if you are in the high-risk group, it is in your best interest to seek a trustworthy physician’s care.
