Prostate Cancer Awareness Month Opinion Editorial:

 

 

Labor Day, the end of summer vacation, the start of football season - September is full of reasons to celebrate. Unfortunately, prostate cancer can quickly and unexpected cause these fun September festivities to take the backseat- Something that two million Americans living with the disease know all too well.  Prostate cancer, due to a lack of knowledge, far too often leaves families broken.  For this reason, September has been designated Prostate Cancer Awareness Month… to keep this disease on the forefront of your mind, and to make sure you and your loved ones are present for each and every football Sunday.

 

The prostate is special because these specific cells live longer than normal, which gives the prostate the ability to form masses of abnormal cells, also known as tumors. Prostate cancer does not discriminate and all men are at risk for this disease. While the disease does affect men under age 40, men over age 65 are at an increased risk- over 65% of prostate cancer is diagnosed after this age. Statistically, the odds don’t get better for men with a family history of prostate cancer, because they are twice as likely to develop the disease. There are preventative measures that should be followed not only during Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, but during every month of the year, to ensure the likelihood that this disease will remain far from you and your family. Eat foods high in fiber, low in fat or with omega-3 fatty acids. Drinks lots of water to flush toxins out of your system and don’t undervalue the intangible effects of regular exercise. These measures, if taken seriously, can affect so much more than your prostate. By living your life like every month is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, you can help prevent the presence of other killer diseases in your body, such as heart disease and obesity. This will make you, your body as a whole, and your doctor very happy.

 

If there is one habit you develop from Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, let it be this- Men should be having annual prostate exams starting at age 40. This is the most important rule to follow for one life-changing reason: If men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in the early stages, the cure rate is nearly 100 percent. Often, by the time a man is experiencing symptoms, the cancer has advanced and the likelihood of recovery diminishes dramatically. Seeing that this disease can be discovered by simple screening tests (such as the DRE and PSA exams) executed by a doctor, there is no reason that any man should suffer this fate.

 

There is research being done to make sure those men who do develop the disease are not subjected to unnecessary duress. Urine or blood tests are being established that can accurately tell the difference between cancers that will become fatal or remain in the prostate without growing or spreading. These tests will do wonders to non-invasively obtain more information about the disease. While the treatment of this disease is revolutionizing, Prostate Cancer Awareness Month focuses on opening men’s eyes to the education and prevention of this life-altering disease.  Living a healthy lifestyle will help your prostate stay healthy and will inspire the men around you to do the same. In addition, simply by going to a doctor once a year you can prevent a small abnormality from becoming a deadly disease. We can all do our part to keep prostate cancer from touching the lives of men and their families.  Being aware is half the battle, so take a moment from your fantasy football draft this month to start a conversation with your doctor- your life could depend on it.