By Dr. Donald Pick

Prostate cancer continues to be the most common cancer among men regardless of race with more than two million men currently living with the disease.

Prostate cancer is also the second leading cause of death from cancer for men. With September being Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, here are steps you can take to prevent prostate cancer that I share with my patients.

The first step to better awareness of prostate cancer is to understand how it develops. Prostate cancer can have no symptoms, or there may be urinary changes, including increased frequency, weak stream or urgency, pain with urinating, erectile issues, blood in the urine or semen or hip or back pain. Bone pain or paralysis can be signs that the cancer has spread.

In addition to symptoms, aging, ethnic background, a family history of prostate cancer, diet, obesity and smoking all increase the risk of prostate cancer. It is important to know your risk factors and talk with your doctor about the right time for getting a prostate cancer screening.

A prostate cancer screening includes a complete history and physical with digital rectal exam to feel the prostate. Questionnaires about urinary and sexual function, urinalysis and PSA (prostate specific antigen) lab tests are also done. PSA is an enzyme made by the prostate and can be elevated with cancer, urinary symptoms, infection or enlarged prostate.

A biopsy may be indicated if the prostate exam shows irregularities or PSA is elevated. However, biopsies can be negative even with an elevated PSA.

If the cancer is caught early from the biopsy, treatment includes active surveillance, surgery to remove the prostate, or radiation. If the cancer has spread beyond the prostate, hormonal treatment or chemotherapy are used.

According to the American Urological Association, PSA screening is now recommended once every two years for men ages 55-70. However, based on your health history and risk factors, you may need to have a PSA screening earlier than age 55.

It is important to have a discussion with your doctor about the risks and potential side effects from PSA screening and find out if it’s the best option for you.

Currently, there is much work on finding a better marker for prostate cancer screenings, better ways to determine which cancers will spread and which ones can be watched, and the use of a MRI to both identify and help biopsy cancerous areas of the prostate.

While prostate cancer is extremely common, knowing you risk factors, the symptoms of the disease and the screening procedures can help you to prevent prostate cancer.

For more information, visit your local doctor who can help you develop a screening plan that is right for you.

Donald Pick, MD, practices urology at Pacific Medical Centers’ Renton and First Hill clinics. Pacific Medical Centers is a private, not-for-profit, multispecialty healthcare network of nine clinics in Beacon Hill, Canyon Park, Federal Way, First Hill, Lynnwood, Northgate, Puyallup, Renton and Totem Lake.