Odometer Warns Men About Prostate Cancer

Ask most guys how many miles they have on the family car and chances are they will spout out a number that is dead on or close.   For some reason, men place great value on knowing the exact number of miles on every family vehicle. If you want proof, just ask the question the next time you are out with a group of guys.

What does this have to do with prostate cancer?

Glad you asked. Again, for fun, ask any group of men or your best friend what their PSA number is.   Statistics show that 90% of the time you get a lot of blank stares. Don’t be surprised if you are asked, “ What is a PSA?” While you can tell them it has over 200 meanings like Penguin Secret Agency or Public Service Announcement, the real significance for men is to know that is also means – Prostate Specific Antigen test.

This simple blood test is not 100% accurate and some doctors and insurance providers now dismiss its importance. Knowing your PSA number and recording any increase in the rate of change over the course of a year or more can be an early warning signal that can save your life. Don’t ignore it.

Today, men are being diagnosed with prostate cancer earlier. Now cancer is being found in men in their early 30’s and 40’s. It’s easy to think you don’t need to be tested. Currently due to changes in health care, doctors are busier than ever and are spending less time with patients. Insurers who are always looking to save money are encouraging men to avoid the “unnecessary” testing. If that were not enough, it is easy for your doctor to miss an upward trend in your profile. For your own protection, keep track of your PSA history.

Men don’t talk about diseases even when they are seriously ill. An international poll conducted in 2015 by Harris for Bayer Pharmaceutical revels that men, across the globe, tend to avoid doctors and that 48% of the time they don’t tell doctors the whole story.

The next time you find yourself checking the odometer to see when you need an oil change, ask yourself when was the last time you had a PSA test and an annual prostate exam.

Over 230,000 men are diagnosed with this silent killer annually. Most men believe prostate cancer is not a serious disease. Yet 30,000 men die each year in the United States alone often because they failed to get a routine exam.

 

 

Real Men Get Tested … Real Men Speak Up.