National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month is observed every September in the United States by health experts and advocates, and individuals concerned with men’s prostate health. Designating a month for the disease serves the purpose of increasing public awareness of the importance of prostate health and screenings, educating about risk factors and symptoms, and advocating for further research on prostate health issues.
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in American men and about one in nine men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime. According to the American Cancer Society, almost 11,000 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in Texas in 2019.
There are several risk factors associated with prostate cancer, including family history, race, and diet, but the most common factor is age. Prostate cancer occurs mainly in older men. About six in ten cases are diagnosed in men aged 65 or older, and it is rare before age 40. The average age at the time of diagnosis is about 66.
While there are a lot of risk factors for prostate cancer, there are also good survival statistics associated with the disease. Survival rates for prostate cancer are very high and almost 2.9 million men in the United States who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point are still alive today. One of the most important factors to surviving prostate cancer is early detection. Routine prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screenings are critical to successfully diagnosing and treating prostate cancer.
Treatment for prostate cancer may include one treatment or a combination of surgery, radiation, drugs, and regular monitoring.
To learn more about prostate cancer, watch this informative segment from KXAN’s Studio 512 featuring Lucas Jacomides, M.D., urologist at Greater Austin Urology, and Douglas J. Rivera, M.D. radiation oncologist and Medical Director at Austin CyberKnife. Dr. Jacomides and Dr. Rivera discuss the risk factors, signs, symptoms, and stats associated with prostate cancer, prostate cancer screenings, how prostate cancer is treated with the CyberKnife® Robotic Radiosurgery System, and CyberKnife treatment benefits for patients.