The Importance of Early Detection

The following blog post was written by Dr. Ginny Mantello, Director of Health and Wellness.

The month of September is observed as Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Today, prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among American men. It is estimated that over 161,000 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in the United States in 2017. It is important to increase public awareness about prostate health and provide educational information about risk factors of prostate related diseases. Here is some information on Prostate Cancer:

• Prostate Cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in men. Remind your loved ones to get screened. Early detection saves lives.
• A healthy diet and lifestyle is a good way to reduce your risk of Prostate Cancer.
• Men who have a family history of other cancers have a 2.5% higher risk of Prostate Cancer. Height, family history, and an inactive lifestyle are risk factors for Prostate Cancer.
• African American men have highest incidence of Prostate Cancer. They are 70% more likely to get it than white men and 2.4x more likely to die from the disease.
• Over 161,000 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S. in 2017. About 1 in 39 men, 26,730, will die from Prostate Cancer. 2.9 million US men diagnosed with Prostate Cancer have survived it because the disease was found at an early stage.
• Symptoms of prostate cancer generally do not appear until the disease has spread. When diagnosed at an early stage, 10 year survival rate for all stages is 98%.

Unsure of what your risks are for developing prostate cancer? Speak to your health care professional.

For more information, click here.