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When Should You Start Having Your Prostate Checked

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Why you should have your PSA checked – PSA screening for prostate cancer

At the start, prostate cancer does not cause symptoms. As the cancer grows, you may have trouble urinating. Some men need to urinate often, especially at night. Others have pain or burning during urination, blood in the urine or semen, pain in the back, hips, or pelvis, and painful ejaculation.

To find out if these symptoms are caused by prostate cancer, your doctor will ask about your past medical problems and your familys medical history. He or she will perform a physical exam. During the exam, your doctor will put a gloved finger into your rectum to feel your prostate for hard or lumpy areas.

Your doctor may also do a blood test to check the prostate-specific antigen level. PSA levels can be high in men with an enlarged prostate gland or with prostate cancer. You may also need an ultrasound exam that takes computer pictures of the prostate.

If tests show that you might have cancer, your doctor will want to confirm this with a biopsy. He or she will take out tiny pieces of the prostate to look for cancer cells. Your doctor may want to do a biopsy again to re-check the results.

Treatment for prostate cancer depends on whether cancer is in part or all of the prostate or if it has spread to other parts of the body. It also depends on your age and overall health. Talk with your doctor about the best treatment choice for you. You may want to ask another doctor for a second opinion.

When Should You Have Your Prostate Checked

Prostate cancer screening has become a controversial topic. You may have wondered why your doctor stopped screening you for it. Learn the pros and cons of prostate cancer screening and the risk factors associated with prostate cancer to help you decide whether or not to get screened

Theres no doubt that female doctors are especially in demand. This is because women tend to search for female doctors.But what about men? Do they tend to have a preference? Ive heard both sides of the camp. Id love to hear from you in your comments here or on Here’s a not uncommon scenario when I see some of my brand new male patients for a physical exam:So do you have any concerns you wanted addressed today?My wife sees you, and she actually made me come in today. Otherwise, I wouldnt be here. I dont like doctors.When is the last time you had physical?Not sure. More than 10 years ago, Id sayWow, that is quite a while. Youre not afraid of us, are you?I say with a smile. Mind you, Im the least intimidating-appearing physician youll ever meet at 5 feet tall with a petite frame.Well, to be honest, Im not looking forward to that prostate exam.Oh, I see. You mean the rectal exam to feel the prostate surface?Yes.

Are You Seeing Prostate Cancer Becoming More Prevalent In Younger Patients

Its pretty rare. Its less common that men in their 40s have prostate cancer, but, we also are very rarely screening them. The young men who come in to be screened tend to have one of those high-risk features. They most likely had a father who had prostate cancer, so theyre nervous about it. Or theyre African-American, and theyve been flagged by their health care providers.

If youre young, your quality of life is even more important to you right now. We know that, if diagnosed with low-grade prostate cancer, a person will need treatment at some time in life. If we can delay treatmentwhich could negatively impact urinary or sexual functionby several years, then we should do that and obviously discuss that there is a low but possible chance of metastasis developing during that time.;;

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An Abnormal Psa Test: What Comes Next

If your PSA score is in the abnormal range, your doctor may recommend yourepeat the PSA test. If your levels are still high, your doctor mightrecommend one of the newer prostate cancer screening tests available today.

These tests can help better assess your risk for prostate cancer anddetermine whether a biopsy is necessary. Only a prostate biopsy candefinitively diagnose prostate cancer.

For individualized recommendations that suit you, ask your doctor about:

  • What age you should start prostate cancer screening
  • New blood, urine and imaging tests that are available
  • Improved biopsy techniques, if applicable

Research Into Prostate Cancer Screening

My grandad, dad, and uncle all had prostate cancer. Online ...

Many prostate cancers grow very slowly and dont cause men any problems in their lifetime. Overall, evidence from trials of prostate screening has shown that prostate cancer screening does not reduce the number of men dying from prostate cancer.

The Cancer Research UK CAP trial looked at whether a single PSA blood test would reduce the number of men dying of prostate cancer. This was a large UK study with over 400,000 men between the ages of 50 and 69 taking part. Around half the men were offered a PSA blood test the other half weren’t.;

The results in early 2018 showed that the number of men dying from prostate cancer was the same in both groups. This was after 10 years of follow up. The researchers say that this trial doesnt support PSA testing as a screening test for prostate cancer. They say we need more research to find a better screening test.

This supports what the 2013 Cochrane review found. This looked at screening research from a number of trials and concluded that prostate cancer screening did not reduce the number of men dying from prostate cancer.;

Research looking at doing more than one test doesnt show that this would help either. Increasing the number of tests could increase the level of harms such as diagnosing those cancers that wouldnt cause any harm . Many men have side effects from treatment and the risks of routine PSA screening outweigh the benefits.

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What Do The Results Mean

PSA levels may be above the baseline for various reasons other than prostate cancer.

Other factors that can raise PSA levels include:

  • older age
  • an enlarged prostate â because of benign prostatic hyperplasia , for example
  • prostatitis, which is inflammation and swelling of the prostate

Also, people with obesity may have lower PSA readings.

In addition, some medications may reduce PSA levels, including:

  • 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, which can help treat BPH
  • aspirin, which some people take regularly as a blood thinner
  • statins, which help manage cholesterol levels
  • thiazide diuretics, a kind of water pill that can help reduce high blood pressure

Some herbal medicines and supplements can also lower PSA levels. Tell the doctor about any medications and supplements before undergoing the test.

High PSA levels alone do not indicate cancer. However, if a DRE also reveals changes, a doctor may recommend a biopsy for a more accurate result.

The PCA3 is another test for prostate cancer that doctors use in some circumstances. Find out more.

Can A Swollen Prostate If Untreated Cause Prostate Cancer

We have no evidence of that. Theyre completely unrelated problems. The area of the prostate that causes urinary symptoms is usually a different part of the prostate than where cancer is likeliest to develop.;

Doctors divide the prostate into different zones. The zone that is associated with BPHand the majority of prostate growthis the transition zone. Prostate cancer occurs there much less often than in the peripheral zone, which is the outer area.;

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How To Prevent Enlarged Prostate In Dogs

Your dogs immune system is the key to good health. You need to support his immune system with a whole food, raw meat diet to prevent infections from prostate disease. When you remove processed food, you give your dogs other organs more opportunity to detox and fight bacteria instead of the chemicals and toxins from their food.

Antioxidants can assist the prostate in preventing infections along with improving the health of mucous membranes. Vitamin C is a natural anti-inflammatory and can help shrink the prostate to its original size.

Adding probiotics to your dogs diet increases the beneficial bacteria in your dogs gut, which is the foundation of 90% of his immune system.;

If you notice your dog has difficulty in peeing or pooping, you can gather a urine or stool sample and have it tested for possible infection. Then you can use natural antibiotics to eliminate the infection before it becomes serious.

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If your dog has prostate problems it might not be obvious, or you might start to notice these things.;

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When Should I Get Tested

How to Check Your Prostate

Deciding to get tested is a personal decision made after a consultation with your doctor. Some important factors to consider are your age, race, family history, and history of exposure . Visit our Am I at Risk?page to learn more and check out our recommended age and testing guidelines, which are based on the NCCN provided recommendations.

All men are at risk of prostate cancer, so it is important to talk with your doctor to make an informed decision. Detecting prostate cancer early gives you the best chance of living longer. In fact, when it is caught early, the 5-year survival rate is over 99 percent.

Talk to Nathan about Prostate Cancer Screening is an interactive conversation that can help you decide whether to get screened. In partnership with the CDC, Nathan was developed to share information and answer your questions about prostate cancer screening and treatment. He also suggests some questions you might want to ask your doctor. Click the image below to get started!

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Early Cancer Detection Can Save Lives And Cut Treatment Costs But When Should You Start Having Prostate Exams And Do You Need To Have Them At All

When it comes to screening for prostate cancer, some men may be confused or apprehensive about beginning to get annual exams.

As prostate cancer affects one out of every six men, the American Cancer Society and other leading medical organizations recommend older men discuss having annual prostate cancer screenings with their primary care doctor to help detect the disease early. Early detection of the disease helps cure it in 90 percent of cases.

Generally, it is recommended that men with an average risk of prostate cancer start being screened with a digital rectal exam and PSA blood-level exam when they hit the age of 50. African-American men and men who have a father, brother or son who were diagnosed with prostate cancer when they were younger than 65 are at higher risk and should start screenings at age 40. Men who have had more than one of these close relatives diagnosed before age 65 are at even higher risk.

Prostate Exam Age: When Do You Need One

The prostate gland is essential for males.

It is essential to increase semen volume and facilitate the job of sperm cells.

It is located around the urethra, leaning against the rectum and below the urinary bladder.

Prostate problems are increasingly more common as we age.

They cause symptoms such as slow urinary stream, dribbling after urinating, increase in urinary frequency, urinary retention.

But when is the right time to start getting prostate exams?

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Stay Clear Of The Cold

Cold temperatures can make you feel like you need the toilet so during the winter months , make sure you wrap up warm when going outside. Also, when you are outside try not to sit on any cold benches as the chill may worsen any existing BPH symptoms a hat, scarf, warm jacket and gloves should help to counteract this further.;;

Who Should Get A Digital Rectal Exam

26807 "Feel For Yourself" Prostate Exam Display

Not all medical institutions agree on when men should begin screening for prostate cancer or even if a DRE should be part of the screening.

To help detect prostate cancer in its early stages, the American Cancer Society recommends that men talk to their doctors about the benefits, risks, and limitations of prostate cancer screening before deciding whether to be tested.

For most men at average risk, discussions about screening begin at age 50. However, some doctors recommend that men at higher risk of prostate cancer — African-American men or men with a family history of prostate cancer — start screening earlier.

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What Are Some Common Prostate Problems

The most common prostate problem in men younger than age 50 is inflammation, called prostatitis. Prostate enlargement, or benign prostatic hyperplasia , is another common problem. Because the prostate continues to grow as a man ages, BPH is the most common prostate problem for men older than age 50. Older men are at risk for prostate cancer as well, but it is much less common than BPH.

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When To Get A Prostate Exam

Prostate screening is essential for most aging males.

For many years, all patients were recommended to get a prostate exam after a certain age.

Right now, the recommendations by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force are slightly different. Prostate cancer screening should start after 55 years, but not all patients should get screened .

If you dont have risk factors or symptoms, your age is not enough reason to screen.

Still, you can do it if youre worried about your prostate.

Also, keep in mind that some average risk factors could be unknown to you. Thus, the best way to know if you need a prostate exam or not is by asking your urologist.

Men should decide for themselves if they prefer to perform an exam.

Still, health authorities recommend that males with a healthy prostate after 70 years do not perform additional exams .

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What Should I Look Out For

The above recommendations apply to screening only i.e. if youre not experiencing symptoms. For many men, prostate cancer can be symptomless because of the way it grows: youll only notice changes if it grows too close to your urethra, disrupting the urinary process. The symptoms of this include:

  • Trouble starting a urine stream;
  • Having a weak urine stream
  • Dribbling at the end of urination
  • Urinary retention
  • Pain after urination or ejaculation.;

If youre experiencing these, you should come in for a prostate exam. However, dont panic: the most common cause of the above isnt cancer its benign prostatic hyperplasia . This is when your prostate naturally grows large enough to block your urinary tract. 50% of men aged 51 60 suffer from it, and the number rises as you age. There are a number of treatment options available, from lifestyle changes and medications to minimally invasive procedures and surgery.;

Another cause of these symptoms could be prostatitis, which is when your prostate becomes infected. This usually affects men aged 30 50. Additional symptoms include pain in and around your penis, testes, anus, abdomen or lower back, or erectile dysfunction. Usually, this will improve over time and with treatment.;

The other symptoms to look out for are signs that prostate cancer has spread. If the cancer breaks out of the prostate, symptoms could include back, hip or pelvis pain, erectile dysfunction, blood in urine or semen, and unexplained weight loss.

Whats The Recommended Age For Your First Prostate Exam

When should You Have a Prostate Biopsy?

Starting at age 50, all men should discuss getting a prostate exam with their doctor.;

The reason for this is prostate cancer. In the UK, about one in eight men will be diagnosed with this in their lifetime. It mainly affects men aged 50 plus, but your risk increases as you get older, and the most common age to be diagnosed is between 65 and 69 years. Most men with early prostate cancer dont have any noticeable signs or symptoms.;

The exception to this rule is if you are experiencing symptoms, or if your genetics predispose you as higher risk. Doctors are increasingly finding the tendency towards some prostate cancers can be inherited from your fathers family. Additionally, black men are at a higher risk, with one in four getting prostate cancer in their lifetime.;

If youre experiencing no symptoms, heres the recommended age for prostate exam:

  • If you have a family history, first prostate exam at age 40
  • If you are black, first prostate exam at age 45
  • If you have no family history and youre not black, first prostate exam at age 50

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How Is Enlarged Prostate Diagnosed

The first step is a standard physical exam which often involves a urine analysis and a digital rectal exam, which involves a doctor inserting a finger into the rectum. The physician will assess the size and contour of the prostate and determine if any nodules are present, which may suggest the presence of prostate cancer.

The physician may also assess for tenderness, which can be found when the prostate is inflamed. Tests may be done in the office to assess strength of urine flow or to check for residual urine in the bladder.

Next, doctors may run one or several tests to make an accurate diagnosis. These can include a PSA blood test, urodynamic tests , cystoscopy and transrectal ultrasound .

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Finding Prostate Cancer Early

There is no national screening program for the early detection of prostate cancer. Doctors have different opinions about whether all men without symptoms of prostate cancer should be tested.

There is concern that testing healthy men will cause unnecessary harm and lead to treatments that may not offer long-term benefits. Treatment for prostate cancer can leave men with side effects such as erectile dysfunction and continence issues, which can affect their quality of life.

Testing may identify fast-growing or aggressive cancers that have the potential to spread to other parts of the body and would benefit from treatment. It may also detect very slow-growing cancers that are unlikely to be harmful.

Weigh up all the risks and benefits before deciding whether to be tested for prostate cancer, particularly if you dont have symptoms. Talking to your doctor can help.

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