Citizens Memorial Hospital | Vitality | Summer 2020

COMMUNITY TAGLINE HERE MEN’S HEALTH As a man, it’s important to know at least a few things about prostate cancer, starting with the following facts: 1 It’s the most common nonskin cancer in men. About 1 in 9 American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in their lifetime. But most of these men will die with prostate cancer, not of it. This is because prostate cancer often grows slowly. So older men who get the disease often die from something else before their prostate cancer ever becomes a serious threat. 2 Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men. Only lung cancer kills more U.S. men. So prostate cancer is still a serious disease that can shorten a man’s life, especially if he develops it at a younger age. 3 Getting older raises your risk. Your chances of getting prostate cancer go up significantly after age 50. However, African American men tend to develop prostate cancer at a younger age (and more often) than other men do. If prostate cancer runs in your family, your own chances of getting the disease may be higher too. facts to know about prostate cancer FIND IT EARLY! Screening can often find prostate cancer early. Talk to your doctor about the benefits and risks of screening. Don’t have a doctor? Call 417-328-6010 , and we’ll make an appointment for you. 4 There usually are no early symptoms. As prostate cancer grows, it may cause problems like difficulty urinating, blood in the urine or semen, erectile dysfunction, or back or hip pain. But other things can cause these symptoms too. For instance, most men have trouble urinating as they get older because of an enlarged prostate (a noncancerous condition). 5 Sometimes the right treatment is no treatment. Prostate cancer treatment can have serious side effects, including urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction. Because of this risk—and since the disease often grows slowly—some men choose to delay treatment and have their doctors routinely monitor them with blood tests and exams instead. Other men may choose to be treated right away with surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, hormone therapy or other options. Every situation is different, of course, which is why men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer should always discuss with their doctor what the best treatment plan is for them. Sources: American Cancer Society; U.S. Preventive Services Task Force citizensmemorial.com 13