September Is National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

BALTIMORE, Sept. 1, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Did you know approximately one in seven men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer? Those numbers increase to one in five if you're African-American and one in three if you have a family history. While prostate cancer education is important year-round, the month of September brings prostate cancer into focus as a time when health care providers, caregivers and other individuals make an extra effort to raise the nation's awareness about prostate cancer, the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in men and the second-leading cause of cancer death in men.

According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 220,800 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in 2015 and almost 28,000 American men will die from the disease. Unfortunately, most men are not familiar with where a prostate is, or what it does. In fact, many middle-aged American men don't know they have one.

"Educating people about prostate cancer is crucial to ending the devastating effects of this disease," said Richard A. Memo, MD, chair of the Urology Care Foundation. "The Foundation is committed to increasing prostate cancer awareness and sharing important information about screening, prevention and personal risk levels."

As with any form of cancer, early detection is important, and deciding when you should talk to your doctor about prostate cancer testing depends on risk factors such as age, family history and ethnicity. The American Urological Association (AUA) recommends that men ages 55 to 69, with an average risk for prostate cancer talk to their health care provider about whether prostate cancer screening is right for them.

For those who are age 40 to 54 and who have higher risk for being diagnosed with prostate cancer, such as African-American men or those with a family history, the AUA recommends they discuss their prostate cancer screening options with their physician to assess the benefits and risks of testing.

"There is general agreement that early detection has played a part in decreasing the number of deaths from prostate cancer," said H. Ballentine Carter, MD, AUA member and professor of urology and oncology at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. "The visibility and voice National Prostate Cancer Awareness month gives to organizations such as the Urology Care Foundation is key to increasing the public's awareness about prostate cancer and the importance of men talking to their doctors about the benefits and risks of testing."  

What You Should Know About Prostate Cancer:

• More than 220,000 men will be told they have prostate cancer this year. It is the second most common cancer in men in the United States.
• Aside from age, risk factors for prostate cancer include family history and race.
  • One in seven men will develop prostate cancer.
  • One in five African American men will develop prostate cancer.
  • One in three men with a family history will develop prostate cancer.
• If you are age 55 to 69, talk to your doctor about prostate screening.
• Talk to your doctor about prostate cancer screening if you are age 40 to 54 years and:
  • are African-American
  • have a father, brother or son who has had prostate cancer
• There are many treatment options for prostate cancer, and individuals should talk with their doctor about what treatment is right for them. 

About the American Urological Association: Founded in 1902 and headquartered near Baltimore, Maryland, the American Urological Association is a leading advocate for the specialty of urology, and has more than 21,000 members throughout the world. The AUA is a premier urologic association, providing invaluable support to the urologic community as it pursues its mission of fostering the highest standards of urologic care through education, research and the formulation of health policy. To learn more about the AUA, visit: www.AUAnet.org.

About the Urology Care Foundation: The Urology Care Foundation is the world's leading nonprofit urological health foundation and the official foundation of the American Urological Association. We partner with physicians, researchers, healthcare professionals, patients, caregivers, families and the public to support and improve the prevention, detection and treatment of urological diseases through research and education. To learn more about the Urology Care Foundation and its programs visit: www.UrologyHealth.org.

Contact: Christine Frey, AUA410-689-3731, [email protected]

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SOURCE American Urological Association