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Jacksonville,
TX.- It’s time to sign up for East Texas
Medical Center Regional Healthcare System’s
10th annual free prostate cancer screening
for men. Last year, ETMC screened almost
1,500 men, according to Todd Sigmon, ETMC
Cancer Institute Vice President. “From our
annual ETMC PSA (prostate specific antigen)
blood tests, 61 tests came back with
abnormalities. These men were referred to
their doctors for further evaluation,”
Sigmon said. The screening is a simple blood
test, which identifies the level of PSA in
the blood. An elevated level is an early
sign of prostate cancer. During the
past nine years, ETMC has screened more than
26,000 men during its annual June prostate
cancer screening. You are at risk and
eligible for the screening if:
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* You are 50
or more years of age.
* You are 40 or more and are
African-American.
* You are 40 or more and have a
family history of prostate
cancer.
* You have not been in the care
of a urologist for any
prostate-related problems
or
diagnosis in the past year.
• You have not had a PSA test
since July 1, 2007. |
Symptoms of
prostate cancer may include a painful or
burning sensation when urinating; difficulty
starting or stopping urine flow or inability
to urinate; continuous pain in the lower
back, pelvis or upper thighs; painful
ejaculation; frequent urination; and blood
in urine. |
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“When prostate cancer is in its earliest,
most curable stage, there may be no symptoms to warn
you, ”according to James Kolker, MD,
radiation oncologist, and medical director of the ETMC
Cancer Institute. “Prostate cancer is highly curable
when detected early.”
According to the American
Cancer Society, prostate cancer kills 28,660 men each
year and every man has a one-in-six chance of developing
the disease in his lifetime. Prostate cancer is the
second leading cause of cancer death in men. One in 35
men will die from prostate cancer. This year
186,320 new cases will be found. African-American men
are more likely to have prostate cancer and to die of it
than are white or Asian men. The good news is that the
death rate is going down because the disease is being
found earlier.
“The earlier prostate cancer
is detected, the more options you have,” Dr.
Kolker added. “In addition to surgery, radiation beam
therapy, hormone therapy and various combinations of
these treatments, such as radioactive seed implant are
available. This is a one-day procedure in which small
radioactive seeds are placed inside the prostate gland
to give a direct, high dose of radiation to the prostate
tumor. Many early prostate cancers can be treated this
way. Also some prostate cancer may be able to be treated
now with the Cyberknife technology.”
In June prostate screenings
will be available at a number of ETMC sites including
Athens, Bullard, Carthage, Cedar Creek Lake,
Clarksville, Crockett, Fairfield, Gilmer, Jacksonville,
Lindale, Mt. Vernon, Palestine, Pittsburg, Quitman,
Rusk, Trinity, Tyler and Whitehouse. You must have
an appointment to take advantage of these special
screenings. Please call ETMC HealthFirst (Monday-Friday
from 7 a.m.-7 p.m.) to schedule your appointment at
800-850-7050. |
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