Who should discuss prostate cancer screening—and when
If you have a prostate, you should discuss whether screening is right for you with your primary care doctor, nurse practitioner or physician assistant:
- Starting at 40 if…you have a strong family history of prostate, breast, ovarian, uterine, colon and pancreatic cancer as well as melanoma—particularly if they were early onset or you have a known family history of carrying the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene
- Starting at 45 if…you’re a Black man, meaning you carry twice the risk of dying from prostate cancer
- Starting at 50 if…you have a typical risk level
Is fear stopping you?
“Some men have anxiety about what the treatment would be and the long-term effects of treatment,” said Dr. Tharp.
But, he noted, treatment has changed a lot since the early 2000s.
“We have active surveillance and other means of preserving bodily function, especially when we find prostate cancer in the earlier stages,” he said.
What exactly is a PSA?
A PSA test is a simple blood test you get at your doctor’s office.
The test measures the prostate-specific antigen, a substance in the body that is related to the presence of prostate cancer. However, a rise in PSA can also be caused by other factors such as recent sexual activity, exercise, prostate enlargement, age and infection.
“When someone has an elevated PSA for the first time, we put it in context,” Dr. Tharp said, indicating that doctors don’t automatically diagnose prostate cancer because of an elevated PSA. “A one-time PSA is important, but a trending PSA helps us see the bigger picture."
Once a PSA test result flags the possibility of cancer, primary care doctors typically refer patients to a urologist who specializes in prostate cancer treatment.
Patients have a team helping them achieve their best outcome
At Wellstar, the patient’s doctors are part of a multidisciplinary prostate cancer care team at Wellstar who hold regular conferences dedicated to diagnosing, staging and planning care together so patients have the best outcomes. The prostate cancer team includes urologists, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, pathologists, radiologists, primary care physicians and nurse navigators.
“Once a man has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, our experienced physicians, navigators and nurses help him navigate the decision-making process around prostate cancer treatment,” said Dr. Olusola Davies, Wellstar radiation oncologist.
Because of the variety of prostate cancer types, how quickly their prostate cancer grows and other individual factors, each person’s treatment is tailored to them. Care plans may include active surveillance, prostate cancer surgery or radiation therapy.
“It’s important to give men time to absorb the information coming from the treatment team, ask questions and review things they might not be sure about,” Dr. Davies said.
Good news: newer treatments eliminate or reduce side effects
Many men with low-grade, early-stage prostate cancer choose to follow a treatment plan of active surveillance using a guideline-based protocol with their Wellstar physician. This option reduces unnecessary side effects from therapy and improves their quality of life.
In fact, more than 70% of Wellstar patients diagnosed with low-risk prostate cancer opt for active surveillance.
Various types of prostate cancer surgery, including minimally invasive robotic procedures, have the potential to spare nerves and preserve sexual function. And newer radiation therapies reduce radiation exposure to healthy tissue.
“Patient outcomes have been very good at Wellstar, and we have a well-coordinated interdisciplinary team to care for our patients,” said Dr. Tharp.
Make an appointment with your doctor today to discuss if the time is right to start screening for prostate cancer.
