Prostate Cancer Screenings

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in American men and, next to lung cancer, the second most common cause of cancer death in men. But there is encouraging news. Men whose prostate cancer is localized, or detected before it spreads beyond the prostate, have a five-year survival rate of almost 100 percent. By knowing the risk factors and warning signs of prostate cancer and having regular screenings, men can help to detect the disease in its earliest stages, when cure rates are the highest.

Men age 50 and over should have an annual prostate screening that includes:

• A digital rectal exam (ORE)
• Prostate specific antigen testing IPSA), a simple blood test that measures a protein made by prostate cells; an elevated PSA level may indicate the presence of prostate cancer

Talk to your primary care physician about when you should begin prostate cancer screenings. If you have certain risk factors, your doctor may recommend screenings earlier or more frequently. For a referral to a doctor near you, call the Best of Health Line at 440-953-6000 or visit our physician finder.