Prostate cancer screening saves lives

Submitted by Anne Milo and Jayce Yamagishi

ORANGE COUNTY – September is National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Prostate testing is critical to men, especially those over the age of 50. CareMore Health Plan, one of the leading Medicare Advantage health plans for seniors, specializes in providing complete, pro-active health care for senior Americans is encouraging men to get tested regularly.

A simple blood test called the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test may pinpoint prostate cancer. Prostate cancer often goes undetected until the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. CareMore physicians strongly recommend screening as early as the age of 40 to promote early detection. A Digital Rectal Exam and blood test is also recommended. While men may find the exam unsettling or embarrassing, it takes less than two minutes and could save their life.

The mortality rate for those with prostate cancer has been decreasing due to increased awareness and regular testing. CareMore physicians hope that September generates a renewed urgency in men to be screened on a regular basis.