Comedian and actor Ben Stiller brought attention to early screening for prostate cancer
With nearly 250,000 new cases diagnosed every year, prostate cancer is the most common organ cancer in men, and the second most common cause of death in men after lung Prostate cancer, the second most common organ cancer in men and the third most prevalent in the United States, is the most common cause of death in men after lung cancer. It kills as many men every year as many as die in car accidents. Comedian and actor Ben Stiller, who went public with his prostate cancer diagnosis on the Howard Stern radio show in 2016, highlighted the importance of early screening for this type of organ cancer. Stiller credits a routine PSA test on his yearly physical to saving his life and urging others to undergo regular PSA tests. For those at high risk, tests should be initiated at age 50 and include African Americans, relatives with previous prostate cancer cases. Despite surgical removal of the prostate, there is a 25% risk of erectile dysfunction, and 3-5% of those who have this surgery risk urinary incontinence. If the cancer is confined to the prostate and the rest of the gland, a new type of surgery called focal therapy treats only the cancerous part of the prosthetic gland intact. Despite this, bladder cancer is far more prevalent in men, with 82,000 new cases diagnosed every year and 62,000 of those will be men.
प्रकाशित : 2 साल पहले द्वारा LESLIE CARDÉ | Contributing writer में Entertainment
With nearly 250,000 new cases diagnosed every year, prostate cancer is the most common organ cancer in men, and the second most common cause of death in men after lung cancer. It kills as many men every year as die in automobile accidents. It is also the third most prevalent cancer in the United States, with only skin and breast cancer diagnosed more frequently. Prostate cancer is certainly survivable. Robert DeNiro, Warren Buffett and Colin Powell have all had it, and are now cancer free. But it was the comedian and actor Ben Stiller who brought attention to early screening when he went public with his prostate cancer diagnosis in 2016 on the Howard Stern radio show. He was 48 when he discovered that the result on his PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test came back high.
His doctor ordered a follow-up test six months later, and the results were even higher. Further tests revealed he had prostate cancer, and to treat this, his prostate gland was removed. Stiller credits a routine PSA test on his yearly physical with saving his life, and urged others to have this test done. “It is important to remember that there are absolutely no early warning signs or symptoms of prostate cancer,” said Neil Baum, M.D., Professor of Clinical Urology at Tulane Medical School, and co-author of “Prostate Cancer – Expert Advice for Helping Your Loved One”, and “How’s It Hanging?” “It is critical that men by age 50 begin to get regular PSA tests. For those at high risk, tests should be initiated at 45, and include African Americans, and those with relatives such as fathers, brothers, or uncles who have had prostate cancer.”
Baum notes that by the time you experience bone pain, weight loss or anemia, you have a late-stage diagnosis where the cancer has already spread to other organs. Detection has leaned away needle biopsies, as ultrasound is now used to pinpoint a cancerous lesion after abnormal PSA tests. Advances in treatment have done a better job of removing the cancer. Cryotherapy (freezing) and high intensity focused ultrasound destroys cancerous tissue. Although surgical removal of the prostate lessens recurrence, there is a 25% risk of erectile dysfunction, and 3-5% of those who have this surgery risk urinary incontinence. However, if the cancer is confined to the prostate, a new type of surgery called focal therapy treats only the cancerous part of the prostate and leaves the rest of the gland intact.
Although not exclusively a male cancer, bladder cancer is far more prevalent in men. 82,000 new cases will be diagnosed every year and 62,000 of those will be men. Of the nearly 17,000 deaths, over 12,000 will be men. It is heavily influenced by smoking, which triples one’s risk of bladder cancer. The one saving grace about this cancer is that unlike prostate cancer, there are early warning signs. Blood in the urine and frequent urination with urgency can both be signs that you need to see a doctor. Treatment involves going through the urethra (the tube which connects the bladder to the outside of the body) with a cystoscope and burning out the tumor without destroying the whole bladder. If the cancer has penetrated the muscle, then the bladder must be removed. Urinary diversion devices will then be required.
Testicular cancer primarily affects young men, ages 20-45. Fifty years ago, this cancer was 90% lethal, and now it’s 95-98% curable. “We’ve really gotten the word out about testicular self-exams,” Baum said. “If you palpate the testicles and they are soft and spongy, that’s normal. If you feel anything rigid or hard, it could be cancer. But, it’s not a death sentence any longer. We now know that unless it’s an extremely aggressive form, we can remove the cancer by removing just one testicle, which still allows men to father children.” And, there are now tests utilizing tumor markers which indicate if the cancer has spread beyond the testicles. Chemotherapy has proven effective for this type of cancer. Getting in the habit of routine care
As young women outgrow their pediatricians, almost all move on to continue care with an obstetrician/gynecologist. The same premise seems not to apply to men. “Because most men never see a urologist until they are 50 years old, they aren’t getting regular screenings or urological exams,” said Baum. “Unfortunately, many men subscribe to the philosophy that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. But, if you’re not regularly screened, you won’t know anything is broken, and oftentimes it’s just too late to fix it.” Some men who have symptoms are too afraid to get bad news, when in fact some symptoms like difficulty urinating do not necessarily mean cancer, and can be attributed to a condition called BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia) which simply put means the prostate gland is enlarged.
विषय: Ben Stiller