New Prostate Cancer Screening Guidelines
Robert Pugach, MD

September 2009 Los Alamitos, CA

New guidelines for prostate cancer screening suggest that we should start looking for evidence of prostate cancer at an earlier age.  Presentations at this year’s American Urological Association meeting indicated that patients should start being tested as early as age 40.  This is especially important for men whose fathers (or relatives of their fathers) have a history of prostate cancer – their risk of developing it is at least twice that of the general population.  In addition, normal values for PSA (the blood test that can detect prostate cancer) are being lowered.  We believe that it should be 2.5 for men 65 years or younger and 4.0 for men over that age. 

Why are screening criteria changing?  There’s no question that we are still missing many cases of curable prostate cancer.  Estimates are that as many as 25% of men with prostate cancer may not have it detected early enough.  Once prostate cancer escapes the capsule of the prostate no cure is possible.  It may spread to lymph nodes, the liver and bones.  In addition, local growth can cause blockages of the ureters, the tubes that drain the kidneys into the bladder

Controversy continues about who should be treated for prostate cancer.  Much of this debate involves old patient data and statistics that date back to a time when life expectancy for men was much lower than it is today.  In fact, life expectancy today is almost 80 years; people who are born today are expected to have an average life expectancy of 96 years!  That means that men are living long enough to both develop prostate cancer and suffer its effects.  That also means that cancer screening should start at an early age and most of us will need aggressive treatment.   

Of course, the key to successful treatment is early diagnosis.  We’re on top of all of the latest guidelines, just as we are with other areas of minimally invasive urology.  If you haven’t had a prostate cancer screening in the last 12 months, call us today to schedule a convenient appointment to see Dr. Pugach.  If you have any questions, please feel free to call us to speak to one of our experienced nurses.  We’re here to help you!  Call:  888-735-4336

"One in Five Young Men In US Report Recent PSA Test"

Dr. Robert Pugach agrees with recent findings on PSA testing and African-American's prostate screening recommendations, as reported in the August 11, 2008, Online issue of Cancer Magazine

 Summary of Findings

·         The findings suggest that young black men are 2.42-times more likely than their white counterparts to undergo PSA screening.

·         The rate in black men, 33.6%, is disappointingly low considering that they are at higher risk for prostate cancer.

 "Our findings for black men are discouraging," senior author Dr. Judd W. Moul, from Duke, commented in a statement. "We've been encouraging black men to get screened at age 40 or 45 for more than a decade, yet only one-third of these high-risk men reported being tested."

 It is generally recommended that men discuss screening with their physicians starting at age 50. However, the American Cancer Society recommends screening at age 45 for African American men, or earlier if there is a strong family history.

 Dr. Robert Pugach aggressively advises men to adhere to the screening recommendations as recommended by the American Cancer Society. If you are over the age of 45, have experienced changes in the way that you urinate or have a family history of prostate cancer, see your urologist today. It takes only a few minutes for exam and PSA testing. The testing results can save your life!