Prostate cancer cases are rising in the US. Here’s when to discuss screening
Nearly 334,000 new cases are expected this year, as the American Cancer Society urges men to understand their individual risk and when to talk with a doctor.
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Nearly 334,000 new cases of prostate cancer are estimated to be diagnosed in the United States this year, with more than 36,000 men projected to die from the disease.
The figures come as September marks Prostate Cancer Awareness Month and the number of new cases continues to increase.
The American Cancer Society says the rise is likely due in part to more men being screened for the disease. At the same time, many men are not being screened early enough, and Dr. William Dahut, chief scientific officer of the American Cancer Society, said the increase is being driven largely by cases involving advanced cancer.
Regular screening can help detect prostate cancer earlier, when it is easier to treat, but determining when to begin is not one-size-fits-all.
"Understanding prostate cancer risk is really important," Dahut said.
Risk factors include being over age 50 and having a family history of prostate cancer, particularly if multiple close relatives were diagnosed at an early age.
Black men are nearly 70% more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than white men, according to the American Cancer Society. They also tend to develop the disease at a younger age and are twice as likely to die from it.
The American Cancer Society recommends that men at high risk discuss with a doctor between ages 40 and 45 whether screening is right for them. Men at average risk should begin that discussion at age 50.
Dahut also described what can happen following an elevated PSA result.
"After a blood test that showed an elevated PSA, most men will then get an MRI and then based on that they can decide on a biopsy one way or another," Dahut said. "If the biopsy shows cancer, many men can be safely followed for years before they need active therapy."
