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Urologists urge men to begin seeking prostate exam/screening at age 45 for early detection
THE WOODLANDS, Texas - With the month of September officially designated as Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, the physicians at Urology Specialists, P.A. are urging men to stay current on their annual prostate exam and screening. The prostate is a walnut-sized gland involved in the male reproductive system. While you can live without a prostate, its location makes prostate cancer difficult to treat.
Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in America among men, and represents 33 percent of all new cancer cases in American men. That's more new cases than any other cancer. An estimated 32,050 American men will lose their lives to prostate cancer this year.
One in six American men is at lifetime risk of prostate cancer. If a close relative has prostate cancer, a man's risk of the disease more than doubles. With two relatives, his risk increases five times. With three close relatives, his risk is about 97 percent.
The good news is that almost 100 percent of men diagnosed with prostate cancer are still alive in five years. About 90 percent of prostate cancer cases are found while the cancer is still either local or regional (not having spread to other parts of the body) and nearly 100 percent of these men are still alive five years after being diagnosed. About 91 percent of men diagnosed with prostate cancer are still alive after 10 years, and the 15-year survival rate is 76 percent.
In general, men should begin testing for prostate cancer at age 45. If you have one or more of the risk factors, such as family history, you should begin annual prostate cancer testing at age 40. Risk factors include: family history, race (rates are higher among African-American men), poor diet, obesity, and exposure to certain chemicals such as pesticides and herbicides.
Prostate cancer doesn't show its face early on, so without symptoms it can be near impossible to detect in the early stages. That is why it is so important to take precautionary measures through early detection to head the disease off at the pass. Early detection includes physical examination and a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test.
Dr. Erwin C. Winkel, III, of Urology Specialists said, “Though all men over the age of fifty need to be screened, we need to target high risk patients, such as African American Men and men with a family history of prostate cancer. The blood test is quick and simple. The prostate exam is uncomfortable, but it takes only five seconds to do. Five seconds is a pretty small price for the chance of finding a curable cancer.”
In cases where prostate cancer is present and the surgical removal of the prostate gland – a prostatectomy – many patients are choosing to have the procedure performed by a the robotic-assisted, minimally-invasive surgery through the da Vinci® Surgical System. This new technological approach to surgery can result in faster recovery with less pain and scarring. The da Vinci system is rapidly enhancing the way we approach, and recover from, common to complex surgical procedures. For example, this new, advanced approach can replace traditional open prostatectomy which requires an 8 to 10-inch incision and commonly results in substantial blood loss and a lengthy and uncomfortable recovery.
The state-of-the-art da Vinci Surgical System is designed to provide surgeons with enhanced capabilities for laparoscopy, including high-definition 3D vision and a magnified view, helping doctors perform the most precise and least invasive method of surgery. Though it is often called a “robot” da Vinci cannot act on its own: instead, the surgery is performed entirely by your doctor.
The benefits from this enhanced approach may include a shorter hospital stay, significantly less pain, less blood loss and fewer transfusions, less scarring, and faster recovery with quicker return to normal activities.
Dr. Steven W. Sukin of Urology Specialists recalls a recent case in which a very special patient had embraced early detection and, upon the discovery of prostate cancer, he chose to have Dr. Sukin perform his prostatectomy with the new DaVinci Robotic Surgical System.
The patient, Folabi Olumide, who is a physician and professor of medicine in Africa, wrote to Dr. Sukin, “I feel so specially blessed that I have experienced the fullness of God’s grace in this lifetime of mine as a medical student, a surgical resident, teacher and surgeon, and now as a patient having received the latest and best in modern surgical care from you and your team. I commend and thank you.”
In addition to Dr. Sukin, the team of urologists at Urology Specialists includes Arnold B. Skor, M.D., Stuart Zykorie, M.D., Howard R. Lippman, M.D., Erwin C. Winkel, III, M.D., Don L. Berardinucci, M.D., Patrick J. Zielie, M.D., and Brenda Tharian M.D., to provide highly-trained, comprehensive urology services.
Urology Specialists has practice offices in Tomball at 506 Graham, in The Woodlands at 17198 St. Luke’s Way,, and in the Northwest Houston area at 17070 Red Oak Dr., and 1140 Cypress Station Dr., and 13215 Dotson Rd., and Cy-Fair at 11302 Fallbrook Dr.
To schedule an appointment for a prostate exam and screening, please call Urology Specialists at 281 351-5174.
THE WOODLANDS, Texas - With the month of September officially designated as Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, the physicians at Urology Specialists, P.A. are urging men to stay current on their annual prostate exam and screening. The prostate is a walnut-sized gland involved in the male reproductive system. While you can live without a prostate, its location makes prostate cancer difficult to treat.
Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in America among men, and represents 33 percent of all new cancer cases in American men. That's more new cases than any other cancer. An estimated 32,050 American men will lose their lives to prostate cancer this year.
One in six American men is at lifetime risk of prostate cancer. If a close relative has prostate cancer, a man's risk of the disease more than doubles. With two relatives, his risk increases five times. With three close relatives, his risk is about 97 percent.
The good news is that almost 100 percent of men diagnosed with prostate cancer are still alive in five years. About 90 percent of prostate cancer cases are found while the cancer is still either local or regional (not having spread to other parts of the body) and nearly 100 percent of these men are still alive five years after being diagnosed. About 91 percent of men diagnosed with prostate cancer are still alive after 10 years, and the 15-year survival rate is 76 percent.
In general, men should begin testing for prostate cancer at age 45. If you have one or more of the risk factors, such as family history, you should begin annual prostate cancer testing at age 40. Risk factors include: family history, race (rates are higher among African-American men), poor diet, obesity, and exposure to certain chemicals such as pesticides and herbicides.
Prostate cancer doesn't show its face early on, so without symptoms it can be near impossible to detect in the early stages. That is why it is so important to take precautionary measures through early detection to head the disease off at the pass. Early detection includes physical examination and a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test.
Dr. Erwin C. Winkel, III, of Urology Specialists said, “Though all men over the age of fifty need to be screened, we need to target high risk patients, such as African American Men and men with a family history of prostate cancer. The blood test is quick and simple. The prostate exam is uncomfortable, but it takes only five seconds to do. Five seconds is a pretty small price for the chance of finding a curable cancer.”
In cases where prostate cancer is present and the surgical removal of the prostate gland – a prostatectomy – many patients are choosing to have the procedure performed by a the robotic-assisted, minimally-invasive surgery through the da Vinci® Surgical System. This new technological approach to surgery can result in faster recovery with less pain and scarring. The da Vinci system is rapidly enhancing the way we approach, and recover from, common to complex surgical procedures. For example, this new, advanced approach can replace traditional open prostatectomy which requires an 8 to 10-inch incision and commonly results in substantial blood loss and a lengthy and uncomfortable recovery.
The state-of-the-art da Vinci Surgical System is designed to provide surgeons with enhanced capabilities for laparoscopy, including high-definition 3D vision and a magnified view, helping doctors perform the most precise and least invasive method of surgery. Though it is often called a “robot” da Vinci cannot act on its own: instead, the surgery is performed entirely by your doctor.
The benefits from this enhanced approach may include a shorter hospital stay, significantly less pain, less blood loss and fewer transfusions, less scarring, and faster recovery with quicker return to normal activities.
Dr. Steven W. Sukin of Urology Specialists recalls a recent case in which a very special patient had embraced early detection and, upon the discovery of prostate cancer, he chose to have Dr. Sukin perform his prostatectomy with the new DaVinci Robotic Surgical System.
The patient, Folabi Olumide, who is a physician and professor of medicine in Africa, wrote to Dr. Sukin, “I feel so specially blessed that I have experienced the fullness of God’s grace in this lifetime of mine as a medical student, a surgical resident, teacher and surgeon, and now as a patient having received the latest and best in modern surgical care from you and your team. I commend and thank you.”
In addition to Dr. Sukin, the team of urologists at Urology Specialists includes Arnold B. Skor, M.D., Stuart Zykorie, M.D., Howard R. Lippman, M.D., Erwin C. Winkel, III, M.D., Don L. Berardinucci, M.D., Patrick J. Zielie, M.D., and Brenda Tharian M.D., to provide highly-trained, comprehensive urology services.
Urology Specialists has practice offices in Tomball at 506 Graham, in The Woodlands at 17198 St. Luke’s Way,, and in the Northwest Houston area at 17070 Red Oak Dr., and 1140 Cypress Station Dr., and 13215 Dotson Rd., and Cy-Fair at 11302 Fallbrook Dr.
To schedule an appointment for a prostate exam and screening, please call Urology Specialists at 281 351-5174.
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