The Schneck Cancer Center will hold prostate cancer screening tests on Monday, Sept. 11, from 4-6 pm, at the Cancer Center. You must have a scheduled appointment to participate in the screening.
Prostate cancer strikes 1 in 7 American men and is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among men. According to the National Cancer Institute, over 160,000 new cases of prostate cancer will be reported in the United States this year.
There is good news. If the cancer is found before it has spread outside the prostate, the 5-year relative survival rate is almost 100 percent. If the cancer has spread to tissues near the prostate, the survival rate is also nearly 100 percent. Thus, early detection is critical.
A man will be eligible for an early detection screening test, which includes prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood test and a digital rectal examination (DRE), if he is between 55 and 70 years of age and has not had a PSA blood test or DRE within the past 12 months.
“We want to encourage men in our communities to take advantage of this screening,” says Sally Acton, RN, BSN, OCN, MSM, Director of Cancer and Palliative Care Services at Schneck. “This is a very beneficial test that unfortunately folks without a healthcare provider often go without.” You must have a scheduled appointment to participate in the screening and time slots are limited.
The screening test is for men who do not regularly have prostate exams and are not intended to be a replacement or substitution for regular visits to a physician. The American Cancer Society advises to discuss the benefits as well as the harms of PSA screening with your doctor, and then decide for yourself if you should be screened.
The cost for the PSA is $26, payable by cash or check at the time of the test.
To schedule a prostate cancer screening, call Schneck’s Cancer Center at 812-522-0477. Please leave your name and phone number and your call will be returned promptly.
