Screenings Prove Important
in Overcoming Prostate Cancer
A routine physical may have helped save John Trusz’ life. Last April John visited his family doctor for a check-up, which included a PSA test. A PSA test examines the blood for prostate-specific antigen (PSA). High PSA levels may sometimes indicate the presence of prostate cancer. John’s results showed elevated PSA levels and a biopsy revealed that he had cancer.
A few months later, John underwent a radical prostatectomy (surgical removal of the prostate gland, which is a walnut-sized gland in the male reproductive system). He followed up with radiation therapy and finished treatment this past spring. He feels much better now, but his experience taught him not to take anything for granted.
“I tell everyone I know to take the time and have a blood test and a physical,” says the 62-year-old local resident. “Without the physical—if I would have put it off for another year or two—who knows what would have happened to me. After all, I had no symptoms that I had cancer.”
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer affecting men in the United States, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI). About 180,000 men develop the disease each year.
The NCI recommends that men over age 55 should be screened for prostate cancer. If the disease runs in your family, you should start screening even earlier.
“Unfortunately, we don’t have a magic bullet available that will absolutely guarantee that you will not develop prostate cancer. That’s partly because we don’t know exactly what causes prostate cancer in all individuals,” says Michael Del Terzo, MD, Urological Associates of Lancaster. “However, we do know that this is a very treatable disease when it is caught in the early stages. That’s why it is so important that men get screened routinely. A year can make a big difference.”
Mark Jarowenko, MD, Lancaster Urological Group, also places tremendous emphasis on prostate cancer screening and prevention. “This is a disease that will kill you if left untreated,” says Dr. Jarowenko. “The keys to preventing that from happening involve developing an awareness of the disease, getting screened for the disease and being treated for the disease.”
If tests show that you have prostate cancer, your doctor may recommend various treatment options such as:
- Watchful waiting – monitoring how fast the PSA levels rise before deciding on additional treatment or deciding if treatment is needed
- External radiation therapy – using radiation administered outside the body to kill the cancer cells inside the body
- Brachytherapy or seed therapy – implanting small radioactive “seeds” near the tumor (brachytherapy) to kill cancer cells
- Radical prostatectomy – surgical removal of the prostate gland
- Hormonal therapy – manipulating hormone levels to slow cancer cell growth
Each treatment has risks and side effects—some temporary, some permanent. The most common side effects are stress incontinence and impotence. Your doctor can talk to you about getting help in treating these conditions.
“While cancer is not always preventable, there are factors within your control that can reduce your risk,” Dr. Jarowenko says. “Take advantage of what you have control over and aggressively pursue a healthier lifestyle.”
Several studies are being conducted to see if other therapies can help prevent prostate cancer. Lancaster General has several participants who are part of a clinical trial to see if the dietary supplements vitamin E and selenium can help reduce the occurrence of this disease. The SELECT (Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial) study involves more than 32,000 men in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. SELECT is supported by the National Cancer Institute and conducted in conjunction with the University of Pennsylvania Cancer Network.
Prostate cancer patients and their families can find support in coping with the disease through the local chapter of the “Us Too” community group. As an annual community outreach, Lancaster General partners with urologists from Lancaster Urological Group and Urological Associates of Lancaster in September to provide free prostate cancer screenings. Watch the newspaper and www.LancasterGeneral.org for more details on this upcoming screening.
Risk factors for prostate cancer include:
Return to Generally Speaking Fall 2004 Issue