CityScene: Tech & testing make strides against prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer and the second-leading cause of cancer death in men in the United States. But, there are 2.5 million prostate cancer survivors in the United States today.
Prostate cancer most often occurs in men older than 65, but it can also occur in men much younger. OhioHealth recommends you have a discussion with your physician about your risks, benefits and when to begin screening.
Our prostate cancer recommendation guidelines follow the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines that include:
- A baseline screening for men ages 45 to 49
- Screening consideration for men ages 50 to 70 every one to four years depending on the baseline screening results
- Screening only in healthy men older than age 70
- Screening only in men who have a life expectancy beyond 10 years at any age
Ryan Hedgepeth, MD, a urologic oncologist with OhioHealth Urology Physicians, was recently interviewed by Columbus CityScene magazine about screening and treatment for prostate cancer.
“We see the growth of a prostate by normal means, and we can’t control it by methods of shrinking the prostate, so this is probably a disease in most men that takes decades to develop,” Hedgepeth told reporter Matthew Kent. “It’s slow-growing in most men, but occasionally, we think it can develop when it’s a more aggressive style and grows faster. It’s a disease that grows over time, as most cancers do, and it’s a disease that we most typically see in men over the age of 50.”
To read the full article that ran in the September issue of CityScene, click on the logo below.
To learn more about prostate cancer care at OhioHealth, click here.
