It was a routine yearly physical in late summer 2013, and all went
well until my doctor informed me that my PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen)
had risen 3 points from the previous year.
He gave me an antibiotic to take for 10 days to check for infection
and said he wanted to recheck my PSA again after I’d completed the
medication. He did and the PSA had risen another point and a half.
My primary physician scheduled an appointment with a urologist, who performed a biopsy of my prostate. The results — cancer.
After taking a CT scan and bone scan which showed the cancer had not yet spread, the urologist recommended surgery. The results were encouraging. The cancer was encapsulated in the prostate and again it had not spread outside the prostate or to the nearby lymph nodes.
Many men do not take the prostate exam seriously. Unlike breast cancer, there is not much emphasis.
SECOND TO LUNG CANCER
Oh, there are some occasional TV spots regarding a need for checkups. There is even the month of November where men are asked to grow a beard for prostate cancer awareness.
But unlike buddy checks, marathons, pink ribbons and many other breast cancer awareness programs, there is no sense of urgency to encourage men to have prostate examinations on a regular basis.
Yet prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in men behind lung cancer.
One in 36 men die of prostate cancer and the chance of having it rises rapidly after age 50. In fact, 67 is the average age of prostate cancer diagnosis. And another significant fact, African-American men lead white males in the occurrence of prostate cancer.
We all know men and women who have had some kind of cancer. Most are fortunate in catching it in its early stages, some are not.
The good news is that cancer treatment improves every day. I was one of the lucky men who was diagnosed with prostate cancer and caught it in time. But I will always continue to follow up with my doctor well after the surgery, perhaps throughout the remainder of my life.
TREATABLE IF CAUGHT EARLY
There are many treatments for prostate cancer. I chose what my urologist suggested: open surgery. If you find that after your physical you have prostate cancer, the protocol for treatment should be decided by you and your physician.
But first you must have a prostate examination as part of your yearly physical. And, hopefully, your prostate will be fine. Then, however, you should follow your doctor’s suggestions and recommendations as to how often you schedule prostate exams.
I am making these comments because I believe every man must take the responsibility upon himself to have his prostate checked.
You owe it to yourself and your family. And as important as it is for the husband to encourage his wife to have a breast exam so, too, is it important for the wife to encourage her spouse to have that prostate examination.
I am not an expert, but I am a survivor. If the prostate results were different for me, I would advocate the same.
I encourage every man to make an appointment with your doctor if you have not gotten a prostate exam. It’s simple and uneventful, and it could save your life.
Tommy Hazouri is a former state legislator, Jacksonville mayor and Duval County School Board member.
My primary physician scheduled an appointment with a urologist, who performed a biopsy of my prostate. The results — cancer.
After taking a CT scan and bone scan which showed the cancer had not yet spread, the urologist recommended surgery. The results were encouraging. The cancer was encapsulated in the prostate and again it had not spread outside the prostate or to the nearby lymph nodes.
Many men do not take the prostate exam seriously. Unlike breast cancer, there is not much emphasis.
SECOND TO LUNG CANCER
Oh, there are some occasional TV spots regarding a need for checkups. There is even the month of November where men are asked to grow a beard for prostate cancer awareness.
But unlike buddy checks, marathons, pink ribbons and many other breast cancer awareness programs, there is no sense of urgency to encourage men to have prostate examinations on a regular basis.
Yet prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in men behind lung cancer.
One in 36 men die of prostate cancer and the chance of having it rises rapidly after age 50. In fact, 67 is the average age of prostate cancer diagnosis. And another significant fact, African-American men lead white males in the occurrence of prostate cancer.
We all know men and women who have had some kind of cancer. Most are fortunate in catching it in its early stages, some are not.
The good news is that cancer treatment improves every day. I was one of the lucky men who was diagnosed with prostate cancer and caught it in time. But I will always continue to follow up with my doctor well after the surgery, perhaps throughout the remainder of my life.
TREATABLE IF CAUGHT EARLY
There are many treatments for prostate cancer. I chose what my urologist suggested: open surgery. If you find that after your physical you have prostate cancer, the protocol for treatment should be decided by you and your physician.
But first you must have a prostate examination as part of your yearly physical. And, hopefully, your prostate will be fine. Then, however, you should follow your doctor’s suggestions and recommendations as to how often you schedule prostate exams.
I am making these comments because I believe every man must take the responsibility upon himself to have his prostate checked.
You owe it to yourself and your family. And as important as it is for the husband to encourage his wife to have a breast exam so, too, is it important for the wife to encourage her spouse to have that prostate examination.
I am not an expert, but I am a survivor. If the prostate results were different for me, I would advocate the same.
I encourage every man to make an appointment with your doctor if you have not gotten a prostate exam. It’s simple and uneventful, and it could save your life.
Tommy Hazouri is a former state legislator, Jacksonville mayor and Duval County School Board member.
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