HealthWatch: September 2008

Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in America among men.  Nearly a quarter million men will be diagnosed this year, about 1 in every 6.  However, African American men have the highest rate of prostate cancer in the world, 1 in 4.

While prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of male cancer-related death in the U.S., it’s over 90 percent curable if caught and treated early.  Annual screening, usually a simple blood test, is considered critical to early detection as there are no noticeable symptoms in the early stages of the disease.

The National Cancer Foundation offers a guide on prostate cancer for men and their families. It can be read online, downloaded, or ordered in hard copy here.

This fall (2008), ideastream® reporter David C. Barnett is writing a blog to chronicle his personal experiences with his newly diagnosed prostate cancer and treatment.

Sources for this information and more:

Local
Cleveland Clinic
University Hospitals Ireland Cancer Center
Akron General Hospital
The Gathering Place – support groups and programs for prostate cancer at their Beachwood, Ohio campus as well as Fairview Hospital and Parma Community General Hospital

National
National Prostate Cancer Coalition
Prostate Cancer Foundation