How to Screen for Prostate Cancer

There are 220,000 new cases of prostate cancer and 22,000 deaths associated with the disease every year in the United States. The incidence of prostate cancer is 30 percent 40 percent higher in African American men. Unlike colon or lung cancer, the survival rate for prostate cancer is very high. The relative 10-year survival rate for prostate cancer is 93 percent. However, prostate cancer must be detected early for treatment to be effective.

Instructions

• 1

  Ask your doctor about digital rectal exam (DRE) if you are 50 and older. Your doctor will examine the rectum for any irregularity in the prostate. This method won't be able to detect small tumors.

• 2

  Ask your doctor about a prostate-specific antigen test if you feel uncomfortable with a digital rectal exam. The PSA test quantifies the amount of protein in your blood. Higher PSA levels are associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. Note that the PSA test is not nearly as accurate.

• 3

  Don't panic if your DRE or PSA comes back positive. Both tests have high rates of false-positives. You need several follow-up tests to confirm that you actually have cancer.

• 4

  Have a transrectal ultrasound if your PSA or DRE is positive. This helps to identify areas that might be cancerous in the prostate.

• 5

  Have a prostate biopsy if your PSA level is higher than 4 ng/mL. The results of the biopsy can tell you with more certainty whether you have prostate cancer.

• 6

  If you have a family history of prostate cancer, you may want to start screening at age 45.