Princeton, NJ Health Care Guide Articles

Prostate Cancer: Are You At Risk?

Do you have a family history of prostate cancer?  Are you African
American? If you answered yes to either of these questions, you could be
at increased risk of prostate cancer.

During Prostate Cancer Awareness Month this September, Fox Chase Cancer
Center and Hunterdon Regional Cancer Center encourage men to be
proactive when it comes to your health.

“Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in American
men,” says Kenneth Blankstein, M.D., Medical Oncologist at
Hunterdon Regional Cancer Center. “It’s important to know your risk
of the disease and to talk with your doctor about screening.”

Risk factors for prostate cancer
There are several risk factors that affect a man’s chances of
developing prostate cancer. Having a risk factor does not necessarily
mean that you will develop the disease, but it can increase your risk.
Risk factors for prostate cancer include:

?        Age: Prostate cancer is more common in men over the age of 50,
but there is still some risk for men under 50 years of age.  Knowing
other risk factors for prostate cancer is also very important.

?        Race: For reasons that are unclear, prostate cancer occurs more
often in African-American men than in men of other races and
ethnicities. In addition, African-American men are more likely to be
diagnosed at an advanced stage, and are more than twice as likely to die
of the disease as white men.

?        Family history: Having a father or brother with prostate cancer
more than doubles a man’s risk of the disease. The risk is even higher
for men with several affected relatives, particularly if these relatives
were young at the time of diagnosis.

When to get screened
“At Hunterdon Regional Cancer Center, we recommend that men discuss
the risks and benefits of prostate cancer screening with their doctors,
and get an accurate assessment of their risk factors for prostate cancer
in order to make an informed decision about screening,” says Dr.
Blankstein.

Hunterdon Regional Cancer Center’s Family Risk Assessment Program
offers a full range of services for men who are concerned about their
risk of prostate cancer. Through the program, doctors, nurses, and
genetic counselors provide education, risk assessment, screening, and a
personalized plan to reduce your cancer risk.
Hunterdon Regional Cancer Center is a partner of Fox Chase Cancer
Center.  Its comprehensive services include chemotherapy, radiation
therapy, clinical research, early detection and screening programs,
support groups, educational programs, nutrition counseling, psychosocial
support, complimentary therapies and cancer risk assessment.

For information on the Family Risk Assessment Program at Hunterdon
Regional Cancer Center call 908-237-2330.  For more information on
Hunterdon Regional Cancer Center call 1-888-788-1260 or visit
www.hunterdonhealthcare.org.