Prostate cancer awareness can help protect men
Coeur d'Alene Press | UPDATED 14 years, 3 months AGO
HAYDEN - Diagnoses of prostate cancer in the five northern counties surpass diagnoses of breast cancer, but breast cancer has a higher death rate.
During Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in September, Panhandle Health District recommends men learn about prostate cancer and talk with their doctors about monitoring that's appropriate for them.
Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men. One in every six American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime. Black men are at greater risk than men of other races, however prostate cancer spares no race.
As men age, prostate cancer risks increase. The risk is highest in men older than 50. The risk is also higher in obese men and men with a family history of prostate cancer.
Doctors recommend that men include fresh fruits and vegetables in their diets, exercise and maintain a healthy weight to reduce the risk of prostate cancer by improving overall health.
Health experts also recommend men between the ages of 45 and 65 talk with their doctors about their risk factors and whether screening is appropriate for them.
A blood test to check the level of prostate specific antigens in the blood stream can help men obtain a base line to gauge their prostate health.
Although there are no prostate specific warning signs, men should check with their doctor if they have any of the following symptoms: difficulty starting urination, a weak or interrupted flow of urine, frequent urination, particularly at night, difficulty emptying the bladder completely, pain or burning during urination, blood in the urine or semen, painful ejaculation and pain in the prostate.
Prostate cancer diagnoses in the Panhandle Health District range from 11 percent of all cancer diagnoses in Shoshone County to 15 percent of all cancers diagnosed in Boundary and Benewah counties.
An average of 1.5 men dies each year in Benewah, Boundary and Shoshone counties from prostate cancer. That number climbs to about six per year in Bonner County and about 12 per year in Kootenai County.
Kootenai Cancer Center is offering free prostate cancer screenings on Saturday, Oct. 8, by appointment for uninsured and under-insured men between 45 and 65 years old. For information or to schedule an appointment, call 666-3604.