FREE Prostate Screening Exams at
Brazosport Regional Cancer Center
Brazosport Regional Cancer Center is offering FREE Prostate Screening Exams on Friday, October 17, 2008 from 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM. The exams are solely for the early detection of prostate cancer and will be administered by board-certified radiation oncologists and urologists. The procedure consists of a prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood test, which takes a minute to perform.
To be eligible for screening, men must meet the American Cancer Society screening criteria. African American men and/or men with a family history of prostate cancer should have an annual screening PSA beginning at age 45. If a gentleman has neither of these characteristics, then he should begin screening at age 50.
Striking one out of six men, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. It is 35% more likely for a man to develop prostate cancer than a woman to be diagnosed with breast cancer. Risk factors include: older age, being African American, and having a family history of prostate cancer.
Although the cure rate for prostate cancer is high, this disease must be detected in its early stages for treatments to be effective. In the earliest, most curable stages, prostate cancer has no symptoms. This is why the simple PSA blood test is so important. In fact, the primary reason that this disease is so curable is early detection with the PSA screening. Therefore, men who meet the American cancer society screening criteria should have an annual PSA exam.
The prostate, a gland found only in males, is located under the bladder and in front of the rectum. The prostate gland surrounds the neck of the bladder and the urethra, which is the tube that drains the bladder. Cancer is a disease in which cells grow out of control within the body, invading and destroying other tissues and organs.
The FREE prostate screening exams will be Friday, October 17 from 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM at the Brazosport Regional Cancer Center on 100-B Medical Drive in Lake Jackson. There is limited availability for exams, therefore please make your appointment today by calling 979-297-9268. Drs. Bonnen, Berger, and Blake with collaboration with the Brazosport Regional Laboratory Services will be administering the PSA blood test. Refreshments will be served throughout the duration of the day for all participants.
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