Some men are often very uncomfortable with the thought of a prostate exam. While the physical exam can be unpleasant, there is a benefit to screening for prostate cancer. If it is detected early enough, it improves your chances for survival as you and your doctor can decide on the most appropriate treatment for your particular condition. Exactly when you should start having prostate exams and how often you should have them can depend upon several factors.
Who Should Have One and When
The American Cancer Society has some very specific recommendations on when a man should consider having a prostate exam. Symptoms of prostate trouble, such as blocked urine flow or sexual impotence, do not necessarily have to be present in for a prostate exam to be ordered. The ACS recommends a yearly exam for those who are over 50, generally healthy, and who have at least an additional 10 year life expectancy. For men who are a medium risk level, the possibility of a prostate exam should be discussed at age 45. Medium level risk may include those who have had a father, brother or son diagnosed with prostate cancer before 65 years of age, or those who are of African American descent. (According to PSA Rising: Prostate Cancer Survivor news, African American men are at greater risk for prostate cancer, and researchers are looking for a genetic link.) Those with a high risk of prostate cancer are men who have had several immediate relatives who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer at a young age. These men should undergo a yearly prostate exam starting at age 40.
What a Prostate Exam Includes
A prostate screening exam includes two basic tests: a physical exam of the prostate, also known as a digital rectal exam (DRE) and a prostate specific antigen test (PSA) blood test. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains that during a DRE, the physician will lubricate the rectum, and then insert a gloved finger, also lubricated, into the rectum to feel the prostate. What he will be feeling for are lumps and the size of the prostate. The PSA blood test checks the levels of a substance called prostate specific antigen in the blood. PSA is elevated in men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer, or in other conditions that relate to the prostate.
Discussing any potential risk factors and symptoms with your doctor will help you determine when you should begin undergoing prostate exams.
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