When To Call A Professional

Call your doctor immediately if you notice blood in your urine or semen, or if your urination is painful, uncomfortable or abnormal in any way.

If you are age 50 or older, speak with your doctor about the pros and cons of prostate cancer screening. Some experts believe that screening is the best way to prevent death and disability form prostate cancer. However, other experts worry that screening may cause more harm than good because some men will get side effects from treatment they may not have needed. Your doctor should be able to help you decide whether regular digital rectal exams and PSA testing makes sense for you.

If you decide to get screened, your doctor probably will perform a prostate exam and check your PSA level every one to two years beginning at age 50. Screening should start at age 45 for African-American men and men who have a family history of prostate cancer. Ongoing research may help to clarify some of the controversies in prostate cancer screening within the next decade.

Prognosis

The prognosis usually is excellent. About 80% to 90% of men with localized cancer are cured. Prostate cancer rarely is cured once it has spread, but many men survive for years or even decades after being diagnosed. In fact, many more men die from other causes while they have prostate cancer than die as a result of the cancer.

Additional Info

National Cancer Institute (NCI) Building 31 Room 10A03 31 Center Dr., MSC 2580 Bethesda, MD 20892-2580 Phone: (301) 435-3848 Toll-Free: (800) 422-6237 http://www.nci.nih.gov/

American Cancer Society (ACS) 1599 Clifton Rd., NE Atlanta, GA 30329-4251 Toll-Free: (800) 227-2345 http://www.cancer.org/

American Urological Association 1000 Corporate Blvd. Linthicum, MD 21090 Phone: (410) 689-3700 Toll-Free (U.S. only): (866) 746-4282 Fax: (410) 689-3800 http://www.urologyhealth.org/

American Foundation for Urologic Disease 1128 North Charles St. Baltimore, MD 21201 Phone: (410) 468-1800 Toll-Free: (800) 242-2383 Fax: (410) 468-1808 http://www.afud.org/