Regional Medical Center | Thrive for Life | Summer 2018

EVERY YEAR, more than 160,000 men in the U.S. are diagnosed with prostate cancer. After non-melanoma skin cancer, it is the most common cancer in American men. This year, deaths are estimated at over 29,000. “Prostate health issues, including cancer, affect 90 percent of men by the age of 70,” says Terry Phillis, MD, RMC Urology. “The numbers are staggering and loom large.” There are three primary health issues affecting the prostate. Prostatitis. This is an infection or inflammation that can cause burning or painful urination, an urgency to urinate, trouble urinating, difficult or painful ejaculation, and pain in the perineum or lower back. Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). This enlargement of the prostate in older men causes compression of the urethra and no or slow urine flow. BPH affects about 75 percent of men over 60. Prostate cancer. Cancerous cells that grow inside the prostate may also spread and affect other parts of the body. In the U.S., about 1 in 7 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime. Risk factors Chances of developing prostate cancer may be affected by: ●   ● Age. Men age 50 and older are at greater risk. ●   ● Race. Prostate cancer is most common among African American men, followed by Hispanic and Native American men. ●   ● Family history. If your father or brother had prostate cancer, you are at higher risk. ●   ● Diet. Men with high-fat diets may be at higher risk. Here’s the 411 September is National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month Prostate problems About 1 in 7 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime. 90% of men are affected by prostate health issues by the age of 70. MEN’S HEALTH Regional Medical Center 6