As high-profile people appear one after another, prostate cancer With this announcement, doctors are debunking common myths about the disease and stressing the importance of early screening.
On Monday, the King Center announced that Dexter Scott King, the youngest son of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, has died at age 62 after a battle with prostate cancer.
Also on Monday, Baseball Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg, 64, revealed that he had been diagnosed. metastatic prostate cancer Then begin treatment.
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Just last week, Buckingham Palace made the announcement. king charles iii He will undergo treatment for prostate enlargement, which is common in men.
In other prostate cancer news, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin was diagnosed with prostate cancer earlier this month and underwent a minimally invasive surgical procedure called a prostatectomy.
From left to right: Charles III, Dexter King, Ryne Sandberg, Lloyd Austin. Amid a series of high-profile announcements about prostate cancer, doctors are debunking myths and stressing the importance of early screening tests. (Getty Images)
What you need to know about prostate cancer
There will be an estimated 299,010 new cases of prostate cancer in the United States in 2024, and prostate cancer will claim 35,250 lives this year, according to data from the American Cancer Society (ACS). It is expected that
According to the ACS, approximately 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed in their lifetime.
Risk depends on a variety of factors, including age, race/ethnicity, and family history.
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The number of prostate cancer cases decreased significantly between 2007 and 2014, but began to rise again in 2014, with an overall annual increase of 3%, the ACS noted.
The disease is more prevalent in older men, with the average age at diagnosis being approximately 67 years.
4 Myths and misconceptions
Dr. Timothy Showalter, radiation oncologist and chief medical officer at ArteraAI in California, said four common misconceptions can delay prostate testing and treatment.
He elaborated on them in comments to Fox News Digital.
Buckingham Palace announced in January that King Charles III would undergo hospital treatment for an enlarged prostate, a condition common in men. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
Myth #1: Prostate cancer tests are ineffective.
Prostate cancer screening guidelines have changed over the past several decades.
Showalter noted that some doctors and groups do not recommend screening with a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test, citing the lack of survival benefit of screening and the risk of overtreatment.
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“However, PSA screening is an effective option for identifying cancer at an early stage because it has a higher chance of cure and allows the use of less intense treatments,” he told FOX News Digital. .
The ACS recommends that men with risk factors begin screening for prostate cancer using the PSA blood test at age 50 or earlier.
Pentagon officials recently confirmed that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin remains hospitalized, nearly two weeks after he was hospitalized due to complications from prostate cancer surgery. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Approximately 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime.
“I encourage men to talk to their doctor about prostate cancer screening. annual physics” Showalter said.
Myth 2: Prostate cancer always causes urinary symptoms
“Most prostate cancers do not cause difficulty urinating, such as frequent urination or urgency, and are diagnosed based on elevated PSA levels detected during routine testing,” Showalter said. .
On January 22nd, Baseball Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg (64) announced that he had been diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer and would begin treatment. (Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
Doctors noted that urinary symptoms are often associated with non-cancerous conditions such as prostatitis and benign prostatic hyperplasia.
“Therefore, it is important to consider PSA screening even if there are no urinary symptoms,” he added.
Myth 3: All prostate cancers must be treated immediately
According to Showalter, prostate cancer ranges from benign cancers that can be safely observed without treatment to aggressive cancers that require a combination of treatment approaches, including surgery, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, and chemotherapy. There are a wide range of levels.
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“For men with low-grade cancers, active surveillance may be preferable to surgery or radiation therapy to avoid treatment risks when the risk of progression is low,” he told FOX News Digital. Told.
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He added, “New tests like the ArteraAI Prostate Test give doctors tools to help patients choose the best treatment for their cancer.”
On January 22, 2024, the King Center announced that Dexter Scott King, the youngest son of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, passed away at age 62 after a battle with prostate cancer. did. (Moses Robinson/Wire Image)
Because every prostate cancer case is different, Showalter emphasized that it's important to seek advice from experts in various fields, including urology, radiation oncology, and medical oncology.
Myth #4: After prostate cancer treatment, a man’s sex life ends.
“Sexuality is understandably a top priority for many men and their partners facing prostate cancer,” Showalter said.
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“It is important to know that most men continue to have sexual function after treatment, and there are many effective treatments. medical and surgical interventions We will help you if needed. ”
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