Prostate Cancer

NRCI offers Prostate Cancer Screenings in September
Moses Taylor Hospital serves as one site.

Moses Taylor Hospital 700 Quincy Avenue Scranton PA 18510-1798
(570) 340-2100

Early detection may be the best defense against the life threatening effects of prostate cancer. If you have concerns about the disease and would like to be examined, the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute will offer prostate cancer screenings for men age 50 to 75 from September 20 through September 25 at its six member hospitals.

The screenings include a digital rectal exam performed by a physician and a reduced-cost prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood test.

Next to skin cancer, cancer of the prostate is the most common type of cancer among American men. It is estimated that one of every five men will develop the disease in his life-time. Because there may be no symptoms of the disease, screenings can provide and opportunity for detection before it spreads and for treatment when it is discovered early. Prostate cancer that is advanced has no curative treatment.

The prostate is one of several sex glands found in males. It is approximately the size of a walnut and is located in front of the rectum, behind the base of the penis and just below the bladder. Its function is to provide important nutrients and fluid to a man's sperm.

Prostate cancer is a malignant growth of the glandular cells of the prostate. Its cause is not known. Because it is a sex gland, the prostate is affected by male sex hormones, mainly testosterone. When cancerous cells are present, the hormones may actually stimulate their uncontrolled growth.

Prostate cancer is often slow growing. A man may live for many years without being aware of its presence. One symptom that may arise is difficulty in urinating. Because a man's urethra runs through the prostate, the enlarging tumor in the gland may squeeze the urethra. It should be noted, however, that difficulty in urination may also be due to a condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), which is not cancer. In either case, any urination problem should be communicated to your doctor. Bone pain may be another symptom of prostate cancer, which is a result of the cancer spreading to other parts of the body.

Unfortunately, the largest risk factors associated with prostate cancer - age, race, hormone levels, and family history - are not preventable. It is estimated that over 75% of all prostate cancers are diagnosed in men over 65. Although the disease is more prevalent in older men, young men can and do get the disease. African American men have a higher risk and may get it at a younger age. The reason for this is still unknown. also, men who have had close relatives diagnosed with the disease have an increased risk. The earlier the age of a relative's diagnosis, the higher your risk is for developing the disease.

It is recommended that African American men and men who have a family history of prostate cancer should have their first yearly examination at the age of 40. for those with no family history, age 50 is suggested.

Men are now living longer lives. This increases the risk of getting prostate cancer. The good news is that many cases are being detected early, giving many men the opportunity for effective treatment and living longer and healthier lives.

To register for the screening, please call 941-5939 or (800) 715-7572 between 8:30 am - 4:00 pm from September 13 - 17. Registration is required for this screening. Participating members are: Moses Taylor Hospital, Mercy Hospital (Scranton & Wilkes Barre), Marion Community Hospital, Community Medical Center and Allied Services.