chemotherapy, or have it removed entirely.
Crowe choose the latter option and his prostate was removed by robotic arms, which left four nearly invisible, pinprick scars on his stomach.
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Raising awareness on prostate cancer
Crowe and Morgan are now on a mission to raise awareness of prostate cancer in the Black community.
Black men in the U.S. are about 60% to 80% more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer, and twice as likely to die from prostate cancer compared to men of other races in the U.S, according to the American Cancer Society.
The recommended age for prostate screening is 50, but because Black men are often diagnosed earlier, they are encouraged to begin screening at 45, especially if they have a family history.
A recent study led by researchers from UW Medicine and Fred Hutch Cancer Research Center supports this theory.
“The study provides us evidence to support a personalized screening recommendation for Black men, who are more likely to be diagnosed at younger ages and with more aggressive disease,” says Dr. Yaw Nyame, a urologic oncologist at the University of Washington School of Medicine. “We found that screening at age 45 and testing every year until age 70, decreased deaths from prostate cancer compared to current screening practices without increasing the number of over-detected prostate cancer cases.”
“The screening between 45 and 70 decreased the likelihood [of] dying by about 30 percent, when compared with no screening at all,” he adds.
Prostate cancer often shows no signs or symptoms in its early stages, which is also why screening is so important.
However, in some cases, patients may experience the following:
- Frequent urination
- Weak or interrupted urine flow or the need to strain to empty the bladder
- The urge to urinate frequently at night
- Blood in the urine
- New onset of erectile dysfunction
- Pain or burning during urination, which is much less common
- Discomfort or pain when sitting, caused by an enlarged prostate
If you have any signs or symptoms that worry you or if you want to discuss your risks and the option of screening, consult with your doctor.