September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, so we invited Optumcare Utah Nurse Practitioner Kevin Cottle on The PLACE to give us important information.
He says more than 13 percent of men in the United States will get cancer during their lifetimes, with about two to three percent of them eventually dying from the disease.
Prostate cancer occurs when cells in the prostate, which is a small organ in males located below the bladder and in front of the rectum, begin to grow out of control.
Some prostate cancer symptoms can include painful ejaculation, blood in the urine or semen, and back, hip or pelvis pain that won't go away. It can also cause both frequent urination and difficulty starting the flow of urination.
Cottle says it's important to remember that many of these symptoms occur frequently in men, especially older ones, who do not have prostate cancer.
According to the American Cancer Society, the five-year relative survival rates for men diagnosed with prostate cancer is 96.8 percent.
That's why screenings or tests are important to diagnose the cancer early.
Cottle explained there are two common tests widely used to detect prostate cancer.
A prostate specific antigen (PSA) test is a blood test that measures the level of PSA in the blood. The levels of PSA, a substance made by the prostate, can be higher in men with prostate cancer. A digital rectal examination, or DRE, is another common test where a health care professional manually checks the rectum for prostate abnormalities.
If you are diagnosed with prostate cancer, choosing the right treatment can be difficult and your treatment options may shift depending on many factors, especially the aggressiveness and stage of cancer.
Some common treatments include the surgical removal of the prostate, and active surveillance, or close monitoring of the cancer. Observation is another method, and is sometimes used as a less intensive approach that will usually involve following the patient's symptoms to determine if treatment is needed. Observation is often used in situations where the goal would be symptom control rather than cure of the cancer. Radiation, hormone therapy, and chemotherapy are other options.
Cottle is a nurse practitioner at CopperView Medical Center located on the northeast corner of 9800 South and Bangerter Highway. You can call them at 801-567-9780.
For more information call Optum at 1-866-637-5268 or visit Optumcare.com/ut.
