Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness month. Many people are unaware that prostate cancer awareness has its own month now, like Breast Cancer Awareness month in October. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2011 there will be 240,890 new cases of prostate cancer diagnosed in the U.S. this year and 33,720 men will die of prostate cancer.

Many health care agencies and other organizations are holding events to provide education, screenings and services about Prostate Cancer. If you have a chance, look in your local areas for these services and take advantage of them. Make September the month you decide to take control of your health by leaning more about prostate cancer.

Here are a few facts that you might want to keep in mind:
• More than 2 million American men count themselves among the pool of prostate cancer survivors.
• Like all cancers early detection is the key to successful treatment and cure with prostate cancer.
• Some signs and symptoms of prostate cancer include: difficulty urinating, blood in the urine, erectile dysfunction, pain in the back and hips.
• Two tests men should have regularly after age 40 are the Digital Rectal Exam (DRE) and the Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test. These are two tests that help with early detection.
• 1 man in 6 will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.
• Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. second behind lung cancer.
• 1 in 36 will die of prostate cancer. Mostly because they did not detect it early.

If you have read this article and now know the few facts listed here you don’t have an excuse to not taking steps to be more aware of prostate cancer. Don’t just wait until September rolls around every year. Make it a year long responsibility.

http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/ProstateCancer/index