Reviewed by: Nathan Watson
How to detect the 2nd most common cancer in men—local doctor weighs in
Reading time: 4 minutes
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Did you know that prostate cancer is the second-most common cancer in men? Although it affects one in eight men, it can be relatively easy to treat—as long as you catch it early.
To learn more about prostate cancer, we spoke with Dr. Austin Lutz, a local urologist affiliated with Brookwood Baptist Medical Center.
Prostate cancer affects one in eight men—but it’s not a death sentence
Guys, listen up! Imagine you’re hanging out with seven of your best friends. Odds are, one of them will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime—and it could be you.
Prostate cancer is a cancerous growth that occurs in the prostate, a small organ underneath the bladder. Although prostate cancer can cause difficulty in urination, there are often no symptoms at all–which is why test screenings are so important.
According to the American Cancer Society:
- Prostate cancer is both the 2nd-most common form of cancer in men (behind skin cancer) and the 2nd-most deadly form of cancer in men (behind lung cancer).
- The average age of diagnosis is 67, although some men will be diagnosed early.
- Although one in 44 men die from the disease, most do not.
- Men with African ancestry have a higher risk of prostate cancer than men of other races.
The good news is that there are more than 3.3 million men in the US who are still alive today even after diagnosis, thanks to early detection and better forms of treatment.
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So, how can men improve their odds against prostate cancer? We asked Dr. Austin Lutz, a local specialist affiliated with Brookwood Baptist Medical Center.
A graduate of Vestavia Hills High School, Dr. Lutz trained in New Orleans and Nashville before moving back to The Magic City.
During his training, Dr. Lutz remembers hearing how older doctors would only be able to discover prostate cancer in its later, advanced stages. These stages brought symptoms like blood in the urine, urinary retention, renal failure or pain from metastasis to the bones.
Thankfully, since 1994, there has been a simple blood test called the PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) Test which can detect asymptomatic prostate cancer.
“Unless prostate cancer is very advanced, guys don’t really have any symptoms. PSA screening revolutionized our ability to screen for what was more of a silent disease.”
Dr. Austin Lutz
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When to schedule your PSA test
Although the average age of diagnosis for prostate cancer is 67, physicians like Dr. Lutz recommend that men between the age of 40 and 50 schedule a baseline test.
- If you have a family history or are in a higher-risk group, it’s best to get screened around age 45.
- A person is 2x more likely to have it if the family member was a 1st-degree relative, and even more so if they were younger when they had prostate cancer.
- Having a lot of cancer in the family, including pancreatic or breast cancer or the BRCA gene, can increase a patient’s risk of developing prostate cancer.
- After the baseline, low-risk patients can begin annual screenings beginning at age 50; higher-risk patients can begin sooner.
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Beyond the PSA test, additional tests can help doctors determine who needs a biopsy or other next steps.
“Fortunately, a lot of prostate cancer that we find is very low risk. We rate cancers from a one to a five based on their pathology. Stages one or two have close to a 100% survival rate over five years.
If someone who has never been screened has stage four metastatic prostate cancer, though, their chance of survival over a five-year period is about 50%.”
Dr. Austin Lutz
If you do receive a positive prostate cancer diagnosis, Dr. Lutz explained that there are a number of treatment options available, including radiation, chemo and/or surgery.
Learn more about urology services at Brookwood Baptist Medical Center.
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