One the list of deadliest cancers, prostate cancer often gets the short shrift in the wider cultural conversation. However, prostate cancer is a deadly killer of men that deserves further attention.
After skin cancer, it is the most common cancer among men in the United States and the second-leading cause of cancer death behind lung cancer. In 2020 alone, there were approximately 191,930 new cases of prostate cancer and 33,330 deaths due to prostate cancer in the United States, according to figures from the American Cancer Society
What does this mean for men? It means that one in nine men, statistically, will develop prostate cancer at some point in his lifetime. However, prostate cancer is not a death sentence. When prostate cancer has been treated while localized or in the regional area around the prostate cancer, the five-year relative survival rate is nearly 100 percent.
It takes proactivity to ensure that potential cancer can be detected early. That’s where Arkansas Urology is coming in with a new prostate cancer screening initiative.
But first, what is prostate cancer? The Mayo Clinic defines prostate cancer as a “cancer that occurs in the prostate — a small walnut-shaped gland in men that produces the seminal fluid that nourishes and transports sperm.” This cancer can begin when cells in the prostate grow uncontrollably.
Common symptoms of prostate cancer include difficulty urinating, blood in urine or semen, erectile dysfunction, weakness/numbness in the legs or feet, and pain in the hips, back, chest or other areas from cancer that has spread to bones.
As men age, the risk of prostate cancer increases, and men are encouraged to get screened as they age. Other factors can increase men’s risk of prostate cancer. Individuals with a family history of prostate cancer may have an increased risk, and Black men tend to have a greater risk of prostate cancer, according to the Mayo Clinic, as well as the potential for more aggressive or advanced prostate cancer.
That’s where screening comes in, and Arkansas Urology is striking the first blow against prostate cancer in the state.
For National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in September, Arkansas Urology Foundation will be hosting free prostate cancer screening around the state. Part of Arkansas Urology’s Kickoff to Men’s Health campaign, the screenings will be held in five cities throughout September.
Over the course of the past 16 years, Arkansas Urology estimates that it has conducted 4,500 screenings with 1,100 men diagnosed with enlarged prostates and 300 testing positive for prostate-specific antigens. This year, they are expanding their effort with more testing sites.
The screening sites and dates are listed below:
- Little Rock – Sept. 1 from 5-8 p.m.
- Pine Bluff – Sept. 15 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
- El Dorado – Sept. 21 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
- North Little Rock – Sept. 24 from 5-8 p.m.
- Bentonville – Sept. 28 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
There will also be opportunities to win door prizes at each screening. If you cannot make it to one of our free prostate cancer screening events, our Men’s Health Clinic on Bowman Rd. also provides free men’s health screenings for prostate cancer, diabetes, heart disease and more.
Call 501-320-9122 or go online to www.arkansasurology.com to register for an event near you.
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