Prostate Cancer
Get screened, know your score.
Sky Lakes Cancer Treatment Center
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What it is Prostate Cancer?
According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is when cells in the prostate gland start to grow out of control. 1 in 8 men will get diagnosed with prostate cancer during their life.
Most prostate cancers grow slowly (some quickly) which is why it’s important to get screened every year with a PSA blood test to know your baseline and track changes over time so you can catch prostate cancer early.
Prostate Cancer Screening
Catching cancer early increases your treatment options. You can test or screen for prostate cancer with the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test. This blood test looks for how much of the prostate-specific antigen protein is in your blood. As you PSA number goes up, so does your risk for prostate cancer. A high PSA level means you may need to do further testing such as further blood tests, imaging, or a prostate biopsy.
Tracking how your PSA level change over time can also help detect cancer early. Men should get screened with a PSA test every 1 to 2 years depending on your PSA levels.
Who should get screened for prostate cancer?
The American Cancer Society recommends that men speak with their primary care team to make an informed decision on when to screen for prostate cancer.
You should start talking to your provider about screening for prostate cancer if you are:
- Age 50 and at average risk of prostate cancer and are expected to live at least 10 more years.
- Age 45 for men at high risk. You’re high risk if you are an African American man or have father or brother who was diagnosed with prostate cancer younger than 65.
- Age 40 for men at higher risk, which means you have had more than one first-degree relative (brothers or father) who was diagnosed with prostate cancer younger than 65.