Each year nearly 165,000 new cases of prostate cancer are found in the U.S. Almost 30,000 men will die from the disease this year. It is second only to skin cancer as the leading cause of cancer death in men. The chance of developing prostate cancer goes up with age.
Although the prostate examination is quick and simple, many men resist having this important test. Here are some reasons men commonly mention for not having a prostate check up.
1. Only old men have prostate problems
Not true. Although prostate problems are most common after age 60, they can affect men of any age, particularly those over 40.
2. I haven’t had any symptoms
Go anyway. Each year, more than 34,000 men die of prostate cancer. Why? Because there are generally no symptoms in the earliest stages when prostate cancer is most curable.
3. I feel embarrassed at the thought of the digital rectal examination
So do most men. However, the prostate is an internal organ that cannot be looked at directly. The way doctors routinely examine it is by gently sliding a gloved, lubricated finger into the rectum, a process that takes only a minute. Because women’s reproductive organs are internal, women are more used to internal examinations. Some men need extra encouragement to overcome their embarrassment.
4. I heard that the examination is uncomfortable
The examination, called the digital rectal examination, is simple and quick. What are a few seconds of mild discomfort compared with a lifetime of good health?
5. The last time I had a checkup, the doctor didn’t check my prostate
Because some men object to prostate examinations, not all physicians routinely perform them. But no checkup of a man over 40 is complete without it. Men should feel free to ask for a digital rectal examination as part of a checkup.
6. I don’t have time to go for a checkup
Maybe you can help. Offer to make the appointment or even drive him to the doctor’s office. Emphasize that catching problems early, with the help of regular checkups, takes less time from one’s life than does waiting and perhaps developing a serious illness.
7. If I do have a prostate problem, treating it may mean the end of my sex life
This is generally not the case. In many instances, treatment for prostate disease, including prostate cancer, need not affect a man’s sex life.
8. If something is wrong with my prostate, I don’t want to know. Prostate cancer is incurable
Not true. Many prostate cancers are curable if detected early. Waiting until symptoms appear only increases the odds of finding a prostate problem when it is more advanced and less treatable. On the other hand, symptoms can come from prostate problems other than cancer. So there’s no reason for men with prostate symptoms to be alarmed. There’s every reason to have a prostate examination.