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Prostate cancer influx prompts doctors to urge men to get checked early
With the recent increase of prostate cancer diagnosis, doctors are urging men in their 40s to get screened early, before it's too late.
PHILADELPHIA - A recent string of high-profile prostate cancer announcements has doctors weighing in on the importance of early screenings.
From King Charles to former Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg, prostate cancer is making the headlines and although you may not be able to prevent it, catching it early can save your life.
Just this week, former Phillies and Chicago Cubs great Ryne Sandberg revealed he had been diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer.
On that same day, it was announced that the youngest son of Dr. Martin Luther King, Dexter Scott King died at 62 of prostate cancer.
Dr. Daniel Geynisman, an oncologist at the Fox Chase Cancer Center, says even more high-profile cases like King Charles and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin have brought this type of cancer back into the spotlight.
"Quite simply, all men have a prostate and many men over their lifetime will actually develop prostate cancer about one and eight men so it’s very common," said Dr. Daniel Geynisman.
Prostate cancer has even seen an increase since the pandemic.
"One of the thoughts is that there was less screening going on during the pandemic, and so we sort of missed some of these cancers and so I think this brought back into attention back to life," said Dr. Geynisman.
He says not all prostate cancers are treated the same as some don’t even require treatment.
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More serious cases may require radiation, chemotherapy, and sometimes surgery and could lead to death.
Not all symptoms are the same either, but include difficulty urinating, going too often or not emptying the bladder.
A PSA blood screening can help diagnose the cancer, but talking with your doctor is the first step.
"It’s really important to just see treatment, opinions, and somebody who works at the center that has a lot of clinical trials to look for places that have that, because sometimes that offers new options and new treatments are not yet available," said Dr. Geynisman.
According to the National Cancer Institute, African American men are more likely to get prostate cancer than other races, and they are twice as likely to die from it compared to other men.
If you are in your 40s or over, ask your doctor about getting checked.