PCEC to provide free prostate cancer screenings

Sep 16 2009

Prostate Conditions Education Council Takes Lead Providing Lifesaving Measures

This September, the Prostate Conditions Education Council reminds men to set aside 10 minutes to take lifesaving measures. In just 10 minutes, the same amount of time it takes to shave their faces, men can be screened for prostate cancer, the second leading cause of death among American men. For one week this month the Prostate Conditions Education Council (PCEC) will be coordinating Prostate Cancer Awareness Week (PCAW), which provides free or low-cost screenings to thousands of men across the United States.

"Prostate cancer is most treatable in its earliest stages, and regular screenings are the best way a man can protect himself from the disease. Unfortunately, too many men lose the battle with prostate cancer because it was caught too late," comments Dr. E. David Crawford, Head of the Urologic Oncology Department at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and Founder/Chairman of the PCEC. "Through programs like Prostate Cancer Awareness Week, we hope to save lives by encouraging men to get screened and learn more about this devastating disease."

For more than a decade, the third week in September has been dedicated to prostate cancer awareness and screening. PCAW is one of the oldest and most successfully coordinated cancer screening programs in history, which has resulted in more than three million screenings to date. This year, PCAW will be held Sept. 20-26 and is expected to screen more than 125,000 men.

With nearly 500 sites across the United States, every man at risk for prostate cancer has access to free or low cost screenings. The PCEC recommends a baseline prostate health assessment, including Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test and a Digital Rectal Exam (DRE), for all men at 35 years of age and to work with their doctors to determine a screening schedule that is right for them. Prostate cancer screenings during PCAW take about 10 minutes and include a PSA blood test and a DRE administered by a trained professional. Men can also choose to have their cholesterol and testosterone levels checked, as many factors play into overall health awareness and a man's risk for prostate cancer.

Given the number of factors playing into a man's risk for prostate cancer, the PCEC has dedicated each day of PCAW to one particular topic relating to the disease. The days include:

Monday, Sept. 21 - General Prostate Cancer Awareness Day

Tuesday, Sept. 22 - Advanced Prostate Cancer Awareness Day

Wednesday, Sept. 23 - Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) Awareness Day

Thursday, Sept. 24 - Women, Families & Caregivers Day

Friday, Sept. 25 - Know Your Numbers Day

Saturday, Sept. 26 - On the Horizon Day