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Make a Promise: Have Your Prostate Checked

To mark Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, this September make a promise to yourself to get your prostate checked. It is a very simple screening test and can save your life.

Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer among men in the United States. Known as the silent killer because men often do not have symptoms, prostate cancer is a leading cause of cancer deaths among men.

This year in New Mexico, 1,400 men are expected to be diagnosed with prostate cancer, and more than 200 men will die from the disease.

As physicians at Southern New Mexico Cancer Center, we work with patients fighting some of the deadliest diseases. The best weapon in the fight against cancer is early detection. Many times, prostate cancer grows slowly and steadily for many years with no sign that it exists.

However, early detection is critical to survival, and in fact, if prostate cancer is detected early and before the cancer spreads, patients have a nearly 100 percent chance of survival after five years. With early diagnosis and treatment improvements over the past 25 years, survival rates have increased dramatically for all stages of prostate cancer.

One in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Learning when to screen for the cancer and how to prevent it through lifestyle changes is essential.

Although symptoms may not always appear, you can still look for specific signs of prostate cancer. They include: frequent need to urinate, especially at night; difficulty controlling urination or bowel movements; painful or burning urination; blood in urine or semen; difficulty having an erection; painful ejaculation; frequent pain or stiffness in the spine, hips, ribs, and other bones; weakness or numbness in the legs or feet; and loss of appetite and weight.

Tips for Prevention
Prostate cancer prevention comes from two areas: nutrition and lifestyle. Nutrition is very important to help prevent not only prostate cancer but almost all cancers.
Here are some nutritional tips:

• Eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily (tomatoes, pink grapefruit, and watermelon are rich in substances that may help prevent prostate cancer).

• Reduce consumption of red meat and dairy products.

Health tips include:
• Schedule yearly prostate screenings beginning at age 50 as part of your annual physical. Men at high risk (African American men and men with a family history of prostate cancer before age 65) should begin testing at age 45. Prostate screenings should include the PSA (prostate-specific antigen) blood test and DRE (digital rectal exam).

• Regular exercise may decrease the risk of prostate cancer.

• Since obesity can further complicate prostate cancer, maintain a healthy body weight.

Treatment Options
Prostate cancer, depending on the stage, may be treated by different members of the cancer care team — urologists, medical oncologists, and radiation oncologists. Consultation with each of these specialists is encouraged where appropriate. Treatment options vary depending on how advanced the cancer is and if it has spread to other parts of the body. Physicians will determine the most appropriate treatment for each patient, but possible treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, and chemotherapy.

As the silent killer among men, it is imperative to screen for prostate cancer and to take the steps in lifestyle and nutritional changes to further help prevention.

Dr. John Senyszyn is a radiation oncologist at Southern New Mexico Cancer Center in Las Cruces.

Learn in Las Cruces: Us, too! is a prostate cancer support group that meets 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. the fourth Tuesday of each month at Conference Room B, Ground floor annex, Memorial Medical Center, 2450 S. Telshor Blvd. Us, too! exists to support, educate and advocate for men experiencing prostate cancer. Monthly programs, which are open to the public, touch on some topic related to prostate cancer. Funded in part by the state of New Mexico. Call (575) 527-5786 for details or visit www.ustoo.com. This month's meeting is Sept. 22.