September is Prostate Cancer Awareness month, did you know these facts?
- Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin, male-specific cancer in the U.S., affecting one in seven men
- More than 161,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2017 (Since more than 220,000 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2015, we’re concerned that confusion over inconsistent messages about the value of PSA testing for prostate cancer is causing some men/physicians to forego testing for early detection resulting in an increase in prostate cancer initially diagnosed at a more advanced stage)
- Some men are at a higher risk for developing prostate cancer:
- African American men have the highest incidence of prostate cancer; they are 60 percent more likely to develop the disease and more than twice as likely to die from it compared to Caucasian men
- Men with a family history of prostate cancer are at higher risk for developing prostate cancer
- Men who served in the military during the Vietnam and Korean wars who were exposed to Agent Orange are at a higher risk for developing prostate cancer (and other cancers/diseases)
- Approximately 27,000 men will die this year from prostate cancer (74 men every day); prostate cancer is the second largest cancer killer of men following lung cancer
- If detected early, prostate cancer is often treatable
- Screening for prostate cancer includes a PSA (prostate specific antigen) blood test and a DRE (digital rectal exam); a biopsy is required to diagnose prostate cancer
- Nearly 3 million men in the U.S. are living with a prostate cancer diagnosis; that number is estimated to climb to 4 million by 2024 as men in the baby boomer generation age
- Rather than any “quick fix” for prostate cancer, there are many treatment options and related side effects that each patient needs to evaluate
Overview
No one knows the exact cause of prostate cancer. Doctors can seldom explain why one man develops the disease and another does not. Research has shown that men with certain risk factors are more likely than others to develop prostate cancer. A risk factor is something that may increase the chance of developing a disease.
Age: This is the strongest risk factor for prostate cancer. The disease is rare in men younger than 45, with the average age of 70 at the time of diagnosis.
Family history: A man’s risk of prostate cancer is higher than average if his brother or father had the disease. A man with one close relative with the disease has double the risk. With two close relatives, his risk is five-fold. With three, the chance is 97%.
Race: Prostate cancer is more common in African American men. It is less common in Asian and American Indian men. African American males have a prostate cancer incidence rate up to 60% higher than while males and double the mortality (death) rate of white males.
Exposure to Chemicals: Men who served in the military during the Vietnam and Korean wars who were exposed to Agent Orange are at a higher risk for developing prostate cancer (and other cancers/diseases)
Source: http://www.ustoo.org/Facts-And-Stats
