Advocates, doctors urge men to get screened for prostate cancer: 'Continue the work'

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WTVD) -- One in every eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime according to the 'Prostate Cancer Foundation'.

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and doctors want men to start scheduling their screenings. Doctor Marc Bjurlin with UNC's Department of Urology, shares that prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death for men.

"If symptoms do occur, they're commonly urination problems such as trouble urinating, and decreased force of their stream. And sometimes men may see blood in their semen or in their urine, "said Dr. Bjurlin.

While there is little research to decrease risk factors, smoking and obesity can increase risks. The average age for screening is 50 years old but there are reasons for some men to start earlier.

"We know that African-American men or men with a black ancestry have a higher likelihood of developing prostate cancer. And as a result, we start suggesting that they be screened at age 40. And our patients are men with a family history of prostate cancer, meaning a first-degree relative such as a father, uncle, or brother who may have prostate cancer, is also at higher risk for developing prostate cancer. So those men can discuss being screened with their primary care doctors around age 40, "said Dr. Bjurlin.

Evan Miller with Gameday Men's Health says some men don't go to the doctor as often as they should. That's why he created a space to help men feel more comfortable going to the doctor.

"There's kind of an avoidance, hey, you know, my arm is not falling off. I'm not bleeding. I'm not going to the E.R. And so there's just this kind of like I'll get to it later mentality. And that's happened for generations. I think what we're seeing now is more guys are privileging their health. We're realizing like the more we take care of ourselves earlier on, the better lives we're going to have," said Miller.

Miller says awareness and early detection are essential. Their Gameday clinic across the region and in the Triangle offers free prostate cancer screenings.

"We get you in and out in 30 minutes. So we're kind of normalizing prostate health. That's something that looks like every guy should know. We believe at game day that every guy should know his numbers, period. And it's every man's right to know his numbers," said Miller.

So often men do not go through the cancer battle alone, partners, children, and friends are there to help them through the process.

"It was really hard, I think, you know, with many of us, you know, we don't really think our fathers are invincible. The idea of our dads getting sick, let alone with a prognosis like that and ultimately it was difficult," said Mary Anderson, PCCNC.

Mary Anderson's father Robert Anderson was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1996.

"I was told that his PSA level was high. Found out he had prostate cancer scheduled for surgery within days. And that on the follow-up, they found it had already spread to his bones," said Anderson.

Before her father died in 2003 - he founded 'The Prostate Cancer Coalition of North Carolina in 2001'. The organization is a group of survivors, patients, and caregivers. The goal is the support men at risk or living with prostate cancer. "He asked me and a few other people to just make sure the work continued. There was a lot going on back then, especially around prostate cancer. It's a it's a hard disease to talk about for a lot of people. And so it was really sort of, for lack of a better term, a deathbed promise initially," said Anderson.

Doctors use a variety of methods to screen and diagnose patients such as there is a physical exam, blood exam to test for antigens, and biopsy.

"In terms of causes of prostate cancer, most commonly we know there's some type of molecular mutation that has kind of gone sideways that has continued to grow. Sometimes those are genetically inherited and sometimes they're not. But there's some germline testing that can be performed to also help determine whether men should be screened for prostate cancer at a younger age," said Dr. Bjurlin.

Sometimes there is no need for treatment, but other times timely treatment is essential.

"Ranging from surgery to remove the prostate forms of radiation to try to destroy the prostate cancer within the prostate. There's a blizzard of technologies that also try to kill just the cancer in the specific area of the prostate," said Dr. Bjurlin.

Anderson believes everyone can help save a life. " Stay On top of them. Make sure they do it and also be gentle with them because it can be hard for them. Sometimes you know, they offer to go to the doctor with them if that's what they need. Tell them you love them and you want them around. It's, you know, it's tragic to lose someone to something that could have been that could have been taken care of, that had been found earlier," said Anderson.

Anderson shares that the next virtual program is September 17, 2024, from 6 pm to 7:30 pm - featuring resources for emotional support.