Prostate cancer a scourge for men

Submitted by James Chisum

ORANGE COUNTY – Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among men in America (after lung cancer) and it is the most common form of cancer in men according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“The prostate, a walnut-sized gland present only in men, is a vital part of the reproductive system in men, and it also can cause a detrimental effect to urination if it becomes enlarged,” says Martin Weissman, M.D, F.A.C.S., urologist and Medical Director of theUrologic Oncology Program at The Center for Cancer Prevention and Treatment at St. Joseph Hospital in Orange. “Prostate cancer in many cases does not cause any noticeable symptoms, which is why screening is essential to ensuring that the disease is detected early when treatment is most likely to be effective”.

During the month of September, has St. Joseph Hospital put the spotlight on Prostate Cancer Awareness and encourages all Orange County men, especially those over 50, to get tested regularly.

St. Joseph Hospital’s Urologic Oncology Program physicians offer individual consultations to develop a personalized treatment plan that assures the best possible outcome for each patient. They also meet with patients who have received recommendations through other prostate cancer treatment programs and are seeking a second opinion.

When caught early, prostate cancer has a survival rate of more that 90%, according to the National Prostate Cancer Coalition. Approximately 192,280 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed, and 27,360 deaths will result from prostate cancer this year alone, according to the American Cancer Society.

Fortunately, statistics have shown that the mortality rate has been decreasing as a result of awareness and regular testing. St. Joseph Hospital and its partners hope that September generates a renewed urgency in men to be screened on a regular basis.