3.3 Million U.S. Men Currently Have Prostate Cancer, Many Don’t Even Know It
Jun 14, 2024, 8:00 AM | Updated: 1:10 pm
June is National Men’s Health Month and prostate cancer remains a leading health challenge. It is estimated one in eight men will be diagnosed with the disease during their lifetime. Adding to the challenge is the reluctance of men to talk about their health issues, especially family history. Learning more facts may help you better understand the disease and share information with others.
Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed type of cancer in men in the U.S., excluding skin cancer. In 2024, the American Cancer Society projects over 299,000 new diagnoses and more than 35,000 deaths due to the disease, underscoring the critical need for awareness and early detection since early prostate cancer usually causes no symptoms.
All men are at risk for developing prostate cancer, but each man’s risk can vary, based on his age, race, ethnicity and other factors. Researchers have found these factors can increase your risk:
- Age: About six in 10 prostate cancers are found in men older than 65.
- Family history: Having a blood relative, such as a parent, sibling, or child diagnosed with prostate cancer more than doubles a man’s risk of developing prostate cancer.
- Race/ethnicity/communities: For example, an increased risk is seen in Black men, where one in seven is likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer and one in five veterans are likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer.
However, having a risk factor, or even several, does not mean you will get the disease. Despite its prevalence, the disease is often symptom-free, making regular screenings vital for early intervention. Knowing your risk helps to inform you on screening timing, talk to your doctor about regular check-ups and when you should begin annual screening.
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If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, it’s important to know there are many prostate cancer treatment choices to consider. Your treatment options will depend on several factors, including the stage, tumor grade, age, overall health, and personal preferences. Understanding these options, their benefits and potential side effects is key in the decision-making process.
For most patients with prostate cancer, radiation therapy is a treatment option. Swedish CyberKnife is a type of radiation therapy that can decrease the risk of damage to surrounding healthy tissues. It is the only radiotherapy device with the ability to track, detect and correct tumor motion in real time.
The prostate gland can move unpredictably through the course of treatment, making the ability to detect and correct for motion critically important. These capabilities enable the Swedish CyberKnife team to deliver radiation with sub-millimeter accuracy, helping to minimize the risk of side effects with as little impact on your romantic life, or urinary and bowel function, as possible.
Additional key benefits of the CyberKnife include a short treatment course with just five treatments, each under an hour long. Most patients can continue normal activity throughout treatment and report a better quality of life both during and after treatment, compared with other treatment options.
For more information on this cutting-edge technology and its benefits, visit Swedish’s website.
