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Prioritize Your Prostate Health

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Health & Wellness

By: Abhishek Bhat, MD, and Ruelle Fludd

While maintaining your health is a year-round job, Men’s Health Month in June is the perfect time for men to check on their overall well-being. This includes an annual prostate exam starting at 55 or earlier if there is a family history of prostate or other cancers. Recently, former Miami HEAT star Alonzo Mourning revealed his stage-3 prostate cancer diagnosis, and urged other men to get checked to avoid future complications.

According to the American Cancer Society, one in eight men will have prostate cancer in their lifetime. The first step in getting screened for the disease is a PSA blood test, which may include a rectal exam, if necessary. The blood test screens for prostate specific antigen, or PSA, levels, and can detect a prostate issue if those levels are higher than normal.

Your doctor will consider several factors when evaluating PSA levels in the blood:

  • Age and race
  • Family history
  • Medical history and conditions
  • Previous PSA tests
  • Prostate size

In most cases, the warning signs for prostate cancer are not always obvious to an otherwise healthy man. However, there are some symptoms you should share with your doctor that may require further testing:

  • Unexplained back pain
  • Loss of weight/appetite
  • Occasional blood in semen

Prostate cancer can only be diagnosed through a biopsy. However, modern advancements in imaging, such as an MRI and blood/urinary biomarkers, can help improve biopsy-related decision-making. An elevated PSA doesn’t always mean the patient has prostate cancer, and can be a sign of other conditions, like prostatitis.

While prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer in men worldwide, the treatment success rates are higher than many other types of cancer. The key is early detection and an open line of communication with a medical professional.

Abhishek Bhat, MD, is the associate medical director of urology and urologic oncology for Jackson Medical Group. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Bhat, click here.