Tennova Healthcare Advocates for Better Prostate Health
10/9/2017
Health system encourages men to talk to their doctor about a prostate health screening plan
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that prostate cancer is now the second most-common cancer among men in the United States. The risk of developing this disease increases with age—and while it’s rare before the age of 40, one in seven men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime.
Tennova Healthcare has some good news to share as it relates to prevention and screening for this form of cancer. It all begins with being aware of the risk factors and making healthy lifestyle choices.
“While prostate cancer is certainly a serious disease, it’s important to note that for most men it is not fatal,” said Sean M. DeLair, M.D., a urologist with Tennova Healthcare. “In fact, nearly 3 million men in the U.S. who have, at some point in their lifetime, been diagnosed with prostate cancer are still alive today.”
The incidence of prostate cancer affects the entire male population, but certain groups are more likely to develop the disease based on key risk factors, including:
- Race and ethnicity: Though the reasons are unclear, prostate cancer is more common among African-American men than men of other racial backgrounds.
- Family history: Having a father or brother diagnosed with prostate cancer more than doubles a man’s risk for the disease. The likelihood is even higher for men with several affected relatives, particularly if those relatives were young when their cancer was initially detected.
Although studies have not shown a clear link between the incidence of prostate cancer and diet, there is evidence to suggest that certain lifestyle choices may prevent or delay the onset of the disease. The Prostate Cancer Foundation offers these tips:
- Eat fewer calories or exercise more to maintain a healthy weight.
- Try to keep the amount of fat you get from red meat and dairy products to a minimum.
- Watch your calcium intake. Do not take supplemental doses far above the recommended daily allowance. Some calcium is OK, but don’t take more than 1,500 mg of calcium a day.
- Eat more fish. Evidence from several studies suggests that fish can help protect against prostate cancer because it contains “good fat,” particularly omega-3 fatty acids.
- Avoid smoking for many reasons. Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all.
- Seek medical treatment for stress, high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol. Treating these conditions may save your life and will improve your survivorship with prostate cancer.
“While a diagnosis of prostate cancer can be devastating to a patient and his family, there are many treatment options available—including surgery, radiation therapy and cancer-fighting drugs—that can lead to good outcomes,” Dr. DeLair said. “In fact, because many of these tumors are slow growing, sometimes the best course of action is careful observation or what we call ‘watchful waiting.’ The goal should always be to ensure the patient receives the right treatment at the right time to preserve and maximize his quality of life.”
Tennova Healthcare encourages men to talk to their doctor about a prostate health screening plan, especially if they fall into one of the high-risk categories, or are experiencing any urinary or sexual dysfunction symptoms.
For more information or to find a doctor, call 1-855-TENNOVA (836-6682).
About Tennova Healthcare
One of the state’s largest health networks, Tennova Healthcare includes 16 hospitals and more than 115 physician clinics. The combined network has approximately 2,600 licensed beds, 2,800 physicians on the combined active medical staffs, and 9,000 employees, with more than 70,000 admissions and 465,000 emergency department visits each year.
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