Sparrow Ionia Hospital
479 Lafayette St. Ionia, Michigan 48846
1-616-523-1400 or 1-800-237-2572
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Our Mission: To improve the health of the people in our communities by providing quality, compassionate care to everyone, every time.
July 31, 2008
FREE PROSTATE CANCER SCREENING A SUCCESS
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Over 50 men took advantage of a Free Prostate Cancer Screening held Wednesday,
July 23, 2008 from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm at Ionia County Memorial Hospital’s Outpatient Specialty Clinic.
It is estimated that over 200,000 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S this year, and it will claim about 32,000 lives. If prostate cancer is detected early, it can be treated effectively, but early prostate cancer has no symptoms.
Symptoms of prostate cancer commonly include urinary problems; inability to urinate, or difficulty starting or stopping the urine flow; the need to urinate frequently, especially at night; weak or interrupted flow of urine; pain or burning during urination; blood in the urine or semen; or frequent pain in the lower back, hips, or upper thighs. In most cases, these symptoms are not due to prostate cancer. They may be caused by BPH, an infection, or another problem. However, a man with these symptoms should see a doctor so that any problem can be
diagnosed and treated as early as possible. He may go to see his primary care doctor or a urologist, a doctor who specializes in diseases of the urinary system.
Most cases of prostate cancer occur in men older than 50, and more than 70% of these cases are in men over 65. For reasons that are still unknown, African– American men are significantly more likely than white men to develop prostate cancer and are more than twice as likely to die from it. Having one or more close relatives with prostate cancer also increases a man’s risk of developing this disease.
Prostate cancer can usually be detected in its early stages by having a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test and a digital rectal exam (DRE). The American Cancer Society recommends the following guidelines for early detection of prostate cancer:
* Your health care provider should offer you the PSA blood test and DRE every year starting when you are age 50, if you have a life expectancy of at least 10 years.
* He or she should discuss the benefits and limitations of testing with you so you can make an informed decision about testing.
* If you are at high risk for prostate cancer (you are African-American or have a father or brother with prostate cancer at a young age), you should begin having these tests at age 45.
The overall prognosis for prostate cancer patients has dramatically improved compared with years ago. Over the past 20 years, the overall survival rates for all stages of prostate cancer combined have increased from 67% to 97%. This means more men are living longer after diagnosis.
Some of the possible reasons for this increase in survival rates include public awareness and early detection.
The event was sponsored by Ionia County Memorial Hospital and Urologist, Dr. George Carothers who holds a clinic at the ICMH Specialty Clinic once a month. It is held once a year, normally the 4th Wednesday in July.
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