Prostate Cancer Awareness month

[AstroDad]

Yea, September is Prostate Cancer Awareness month. Of course you wouldn't have known that from all the coverage in the papers and local news channels...

CDC Features - September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

Guys - get your PSA checked. It's a simple blood test. Don't wait until you're 50. Do it now.
Girls - make your guy do the above.

 

[jess4diving]

I have to back AstoDad on this one. ONe of my best friends, a 46 yr old male, found out last Sept that his PSA level was over 130. When he had it checked two years ago, he was fine. His cancer/tumor was so aggressive that it had formed and developed that much in two short years. Had he not found it when he did, his outcome would have been different. Sadly it is not a test routinely perfomed until you are 50 - ask for it NOW!! You have nothing to loose and everything to gain. Luckily, after 6 months off of work hormone treatments and radiation therapy my roommate is living a happy life and is able to do most everything he could previously.

 

[cdiver2]

I have to agree. ( I was at a fund raiser for PC Saturday night) However I would suggest testing at age 45. Every ones PSA is different, one person could be at 120 with no cancer and another person at 90 with cancer, a better indicator is a rising PSA and that is not always reliable. My PSA rose point 4 no big deal by its self that is why they also do a physical check.

My Dr told me they would prefer a test every 6 months as opposed to yearly, but insurance Co will only pay for a yearly test. I went from nothing to a 7 on how bad the cancer was.

If anyone would like to ask any questions about PC and its after affects I would be happy to talk about it.

 

[Missdirected]

Excellent post Chris.

 

[AstroDad]

I was at a fund raiser for PC Saturday night

Where? Did the newspaper or a local tv station cover it? Part of what's angering me is the lack of awareness about prostate cancer. One in six men will get prostate cancer. That's more men getting cancer than women who get breast cancer. Did you know that the only cancer that kills more men is lung cancer? Prior to a few months ago "PSA" meant "Public Service Announcement" to me. Pathetic. We men are foolishly stupid about our own anatomy.


Sadly it is not a test routinely perfomed until you are 50

Yea, I just don't get that advice. I'm 47 and following that advice might have been deadly for me. Mine was found during pre-op blood work for something else. Every "expert" I've talked to, and everything I've read recommends this same practice: first PSA at 50. I just don't get it. Why wait so long when it's just a blood test? It could (should) be done every time you have your cholesterol checked. I'm no doctor (and I didn't stay in a Holiday Inn last night), but I just don't understand why men aren't having this done as a standard practice starting at age 25. Start getting tests when your PSA is zero. Watch for a pattern of elevation, don't freak over a single spike (all kinds of things can cause a PSA spike).

Psst: Guys, another very good reason to catch this stuff early with PSA testing is that your chances of "full function" afterwards are tremulously higher. In the 90% range if you're in otherwise good health (using robotic laparoscopic procedure). If you wait until it's spread into the nerve bundles, well, you don't want that.

One in six...

 

[cdiver2]

I was at a fund raiser for PC Saturday night

Where? Did the newspaper or a local tv station cover it? Part of what's angering me is the lack of awareness about prostate cancer. One in six men will get prostate cancer. That's more men getting cancer than women who get breast cancer. Did you know that the only cancer that kills more men is lung cancer? Prior to a few months ago "PSA" meant "Public Service Announcement" to me. Pathetic. We men are foolishly stupid about our own anatomy.


Sadly it is not a test routinely perfomed until you are 50

Yea, I just don't get that advice. I'm 47 and following that advice might have been deadly for me. Mine was found during pre-op blood work for something else. Every "expert" I've talked to, and everything I've read recommends this same practice: first PSA at 50. I just don't get it. Why wait so long when it's just a blood test? It could (should) be done every time you have your cholesterol checked. I'm no doctor (and I didn't stay in a Holiday Inn last night), but I just don't understand why men aren't having this done as a standard practice starting at age 25. Start getting tests when your PSA is zero. Watch for a pattern of elevation, don't freak over a single spike (all kinds of things can cause a PSA spike).

Psst: Guys, another very good reason to catch this stuff early with PSA testing is that your chances of "full function" afterwards are tremulously higher. In the 90% range if you're in otherwise good health (using robotic laparoscopic procedure). If you wait until it's spread into the nerve bundles, well, you don't want that.

One in six...

It was at the Clearwater yacht club and run by Mortan Plant (very active in PC awareness). I think they now have a mentor program ( I am looking into it) I don't know if it was in the paper or not.

Kudos to you for bringing it up on the board again ( I did a write up about it on the board about a year ago) Yes most men are stupid on dealing with this, so for those people that keep putting off the check ups, you will not feel any symptoms until its to late, you have prostrate cancer and bad so start regular check ups NOW

 

[Missdirected]

Astro - we all have dads, uncles, brothers, etc., I sincerely appreciate your posting this in our area. However, I think your thread would benefit a great many more if it was moved to a larger forum.

Also, know you have been in my thoughts

 

[AstroDad]

However, I think your thread would benefit a great many more if it was moved to a larger forum.

I agree. I wasn't thinking (that well) when I posted it here, but it didn't seem to belong in Diving Medicine either, so I just wagged it.

Moderator please do your magic?

 

[Missdirected]

However, I think your thread would benefit a great many more if it was moved to a larger forum.

I agree. I wasn't thinking (that well) when I posted it here, but it didn't seem to belong in Diving Medicine either, so I just wagged it.

Moderator please do your magic?

It is in non-diving now. That forum sees a lot of traffic. Again, thank you for having the strength to post this.

 

[letterboy]

My dad was just diagnosed with Prostate Cancer. . . goes for appt to discuss options tomorrow . . . I had no idea it was so prevelant until I talked to dad about it . . .