ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of death in men right behind heart disease. Patients with this cancer often don’t find out until the disease has advanced quite a bit. But there are some signs to watch for — and a new test to identify prostate cancer.
About one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime. Spotting and treating the cancer early can save lives.
“If you’re going to find prostate cancer especially, the key is to find it early. If it’s found early, it’s highly curable,” said Vipul Patel, MD, Urologist at AdventHealth.
The problem is that’s often difficult to do. Most men don’t have symptoms of early prostate cancer. When they do, signs include blood in the semen; difficult, frequent, or painful urination; painful ejaculation; or pain in their backs, hips, or pelvis.
“The way we find it is really by screening,” explained Dr. Patel.
Doctors use a blood test called PSA to screen for the disease — but it isn’t always accurate.
“The problem with PSA is that other things can also elevate the PSA,” Dr. Patel told Ivanhoe.
In fact — it misses about 15% of prostate cancers.
“So PSA may not be the best marker we have, but it’s the only marker we have,” said Dr. Patel.
Now researchers are studying a urine test for detecting prostate cancer. The test looks at a specific group of RNA molecules.
“It’s easier to get and easier to keep and easier to process,” explained Dr. Patel.
The research team also hopes to identify biomarkers that could tell them if a tumor is slow-growing or aggressive. It’s a new test that could change the game when it comes to spotting prostate cancer earlier.
The American Cancer Society recommends that men aged 50 and older should receive regular prostate cancer screenings. That age is lower if you are at high risk.
Contributors to this news report include: Julie Marks, Producer; Roque Correa, Editor.
Sources:
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/prostate-cancer/about/key-statistics.html
https://www.cdc.gov/womens-health/lcod/males.html
https://cancer.ca/en/treatments/tests-and-procedures/prostate-specific-antigen-psa-test
* For More Information, Contact: Vipul Patel, MD
Urologist at AdventHealth
vipul.patel.md@adventhealth.com
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