When Should You Get Screened for Prostate Cancer?

If you’re a man who’s reading this, you may already know that 1 in 7 American men will get prostate cancer at some point. You may also know that it’s the most common and the second deadliest cancer among American men. Maybe you even know that there are several ways to treat prostate cancer, including traditional surgery and the latest in MRI fusion biopsies. But do you know when you should start thinking about prostate screenings? There is no consistent symptom that arises to alert you. Instead, there are signs and certain clues that, should you notice them, may indicate that you need to get screened.

Although prostate cancer is the second deadliest cancer in American men, a diagnosis is not a death sentence. In fact, because it is among the slowest-growing cancers, early detection almost assures a complete recovery and resumption of your normal life, providing a realistic chance of cure.

However, the symptoms can be inconsistent – some men have sure-fire symptoms only to find out there is no cancer while others have an advanced stage of cancer despite no symptoms. At the Prostate Cancer Institute of Los Angeles, we understand how this can be confusing and worrisome, if not downright scary.

The following are symptoms and other indications associated with prostate tumors. If you are suffering from any of these symptoms, it’s important to schedule a consultation with one of the urologists at our Los Angeles urological facility.

Know Your Family History

Knowing your family history helps your doctor determine your prostate cancer risk level. The general guidelines are as such:

• If your father, brother, or son has not been diagnosed with a prostate tumor, or if they were diagnosed after the age of 65, you are considered average risk
• If your father, brother, or son has been diagnosed with a prostate tumor before the age of 65, you are considered high risk
• If two or more from among those first-degree male relatives have been diagnosed with prostate cancers before 65, you are considered highest risk.

Your Age (Depending on Your Risk Level)

Keeping in mind the risk levels mentioned above, if you’re low or average risk based on family history, you should start considering a cancer screening once you’re 50 years old. If, based on your family history, you are considered high risk, you should first start getting screened at 45 years old. Finally, if you’re considered the highest of risks based on family history, you’ll want to start getting screened when you turn 40.

The above guidelines are based only on family history and age. Many doctors believe that any man in his 40s, regardless of risk level or risk factors he may bear, should get a baseline PSA screening.

Ethnicity

Ethnicity can be a major risk factor for prostate, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Men of African ancestry face the biggest risk, as they get cancer at the highest rate. Men of Caucasian descent are next, followed by Hispanic, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Asian/Pacific Islander men. If you are an African American man, we recommend that you be screened at the age of 40, regardless of your family history.

(Negative) Changes in Sexual Potency or Urinary Habits

Located beneath your bladder, the prostate is part of your reproductive system. It helps control your bladder, grow your sperm, and produce the seminal fluid essential for sperm movement during orgasm. Due to the prostate’s close relationship with both the urinary and reproductive systems, many prostate tumor symptoms are connected to changes in your sexual potency or urinary habits.

Because some of the signs of prostatic cancer are also symptomatic of other, unrelated conditions, it’s important to see a specialist who can properly diagnose your condition. Regardless, if you notice the following changes to your urinary or sexual habits, it’s important to contact a specialist as soon as possible.

• Frequent need to urinate, particularly at night
• Urge incontinence (can’t hold your urine)
• Difficulty starting once at the toilet
• Blood in the urine
• Weak or interrupted flow
• Painful or burning sensation while urinating

Changes or issues related to sexual potency that you should be aware of include the following:

• Difficulty or inability in getting an erection
• Problems maintaining an erection
• Painful ejaculation
• Blood in your semen

If these happen on a persistent basis, schedule a consultation soon.

Unexplained Pain, Swelling, or Stiffness in the Pelvic Region

Unexplained and persistent swelling in the pelvic region or legs could mean something serious. Another sign is numbness in the feet, legs, or hips, which could be an indicator of prostate cancer. Additionally, frequent or persistent lower back stiffness or pain extending into the hips or thighs (not due to injury or exercise) could also signify prostate cancer.

Early Detection is Crucial

Since several of the above symptoms could signify cancer of your prostate, it’s important that you don’t ignore them, especially persistent ones. Schedule a prostate screening with our Beverly Hills urologists and be sure what’s going on with your body. The sooner, the better, as early detection can make all the difference in your life!

Contact the Los Angeles Prostate Specialists to Learn More

Don’t ignore any prostate cancer symptoms. Get screened and stay updated on your health. Contact an expert Los Angeles urologist at the Prostate Cancer Institute of Los Angeles to schedule a consultation today!

Next, read Don’t Believe These Prostate Cancer Treatment Myths – Get the Help You Need Today