Texas County Memorial Hospital is hosting a prostate cancer screening from 9 a.m. until noon Saturday, Sept. 20, at the TCMH Family Clinic in Houston.
Dr. Anthony Kaczmarek, consulting urologist at the hospital, is hosting the screening on the final day of National Prostate Cancer Awareness Week. The Prostate Cancer Education Council, a consortium of physicians, health educators, scientists and patient advocates use this week to educate the public about the importance of annual testing for the disease.
The prostate screening, offered by appointment only, includes a prostate specific antigen lab and digital rectal exam by a physician. The screening takes about 10 minutes and costs $10.
“Detecting the disease early gives doctors a wider variety of treatment options and, perhaps most importantly, lets the cancer be treated before it spreads to other parts of the body,” said Dr. David Crawford, chairman of the PCEC.
Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in American men. The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 186,000 will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and more than 28,000 of those diagnosed will die from the disease. However, the survival rate for prostate cancer that’s diagnosed in its early stages is more than 90 percent.
Physicians say the best way to beat prostate cancer is by detecting it at its earliest – and most treatable – stage. Physicians recommend that men older than the age of 45 should receive annual prostate screening. African American or Hispanic men or men with a family history of the disease should receive annual prostate screening every year at age 35.
To make an appointment for the screening or for additional information, contact Libby Waterson, TCMH education director, at 866-967-3311, ext. 340 or 417-967-1340.