RICHMOND, Va., Sept. 14 (UPI) -- If detected early, nearly 100 percent of men with prostate cancer will live five years after their diagnosis, says a U.S. expert.
"This disease is absolutely curable if caught early so men over age 50 should plan on getting tested regularly," said Dr. Thomas Eichler, a radiation oncologist at CJW Medical Center in Richmond, Va. "It's also important for women to encourage their fathers, brothers, husbands, sons and other loved ones to be tested."
Many patients do not experience initial symptoms of prostate cancer, making it important for men who are aged 50 and older to have routine screenings for the disease. Sixty-five percent of men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer are 65 and older.
Screening for prostate cancer is done via a blood test called a PSA test, which detects a hormone -- the prostate specific antigen. A doctor will also administer a rectal exam in conjunction with the PSA blood test, says Eichler.
Unlike screening tests like a colonoscopy or a mammogram, both these tests can be done by a primary care doctor in his or her office. If either of the screens is abnormal, the patient will need to undergo a biopsy to see if he has cancer.
This year, an estimated 234,460 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society.
