PROSTATE CANCER

Take responsibility for your health and get screened.

According to a Cleveland Clinic study, nearly 60 percent of men don’t regularly visit the doctor, opting instead to seek medical attention only when they are seriously ill. Even more concerning, only three in five men get annual physicals, and nearly half of the 500 men surveyed admitted that they simply don’t talk about their health. Instead, they are far more likely to discuss current events (36 percent), sports (32 percent), or their job (32 percent) than their well-being (a mere 7 percent).

This trend is not just anecdotal. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirms that women are 33 percent more likely to visit the doctor than men and are twice as diligent when it comes to screening and preventive care. This reluctance to seek medical attention has significant consequences—men tend to die about five years earlier than women, endure more years of poor health, and even experience higher suicide rates.

The reasons men hesitate to visit doctors are varied and deeply ingrained. A survey by Orlando Health found that:

The most common excuse for skipping annual check-ups is being “too busy.”

The second most common reason is fear—men worry they might discover something seriously wrong.

Discomfort associated with exams, particularly prostate checks and colon cancer screenings, is another major deterrent.

This avoidance of routine medical care is particularly dangerous when it comes to prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in American men after skin cancer, yet early detection through screening significantly improves treatment outcomes.

Visit the website “PC Markers” to learn more about screening for prostate cancer:

Click Here - PC Markers - When should I screen

WHAT IS PROSTATE CANCER?

Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Prostate cancer may cause pain, difficulty in urinating, problems during intercourse, or erectile dysfunction. Prostate Cancer is the second leading cancer killer of men next to lung cancer.

KNOW THE SYMPTOMS.

Prostate Cancer is also known as a "Silent Disease," as there are very few symptoms related to the early stages. The information presented is to encourage men to be educated and tested. If you have prostate symptoms now, such as urgency to urinate, pain when you pass urine, blood in your urine, or trouble passing urine, see your doctor.

KNOW YOUR NUMBER.

Veterans over 40 years of age are encouraged to know their Prostate Specific Antigen “PSA” blood test value. The PSA is equally as important as cholesterol or blood pressure. It is also important to know the change in the values from year to year. Knowing the benefits of prostate cancer screening allows for greater success in preventing and treating this disease.

VETERAN SUPPORT.

There are over 9 million Veterans who receive healthcare from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Over 500,000 Veterans are living with prostate cancer, and over 16,000 have a metastatic form of the disease. Its VPCa’s mission to educate the over 19 million Veterans in our country about the higher-than-normal risk of developing prostate cancer as a Veteran.