Advanced stage prostate cancer diagnoses increases after decades of decline
According to the American Society of Cancer, nearly two out of three men 55 to 69 years old are not being screened for prostate cancer.
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September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.
According to the American Society of Cancer, nearly two out of three men 55 to 69 years old are not being screened for prostate cancer.
The first step in prostate cancer screening is a PSA or Prostate Specific Antigen blood test.
"PSA is a chemical that is used actually as an anticoagulant sperm, that's what its normal function is and when the prostate cancer develops it's released into the bloodstream," says Dr. Daniel Petrylak, chief of Gentourinary Oncology at Yale Cancer Center.
Dr. Petrylak says an elevated PSA doesn't necessarily mean you have cancer, it means that it needs to be ruled out.
It’s recommended for men to start speaking with their health care provider about prostate cancer screening at the age of 50.
