Monday Q&A | Clinic Offers Free Prostate Cancer Test
The Sun News
By Vicki Grooms
Jul 26, 2010
Men, put away your excuses and take a step toward good health.
ZERO — The Project to End Prostate Cancer, along with Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday, is hosting the Know Your Score: Fight Prostate Cancer Mobile Screening Clinic today in North Myrtle Beach. The van will be open at Martin's PGA Tour Superstore, 2310 U.S. 17 S., from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The 40-foot screening van will be making its third visit to the area to give free PSA blood tests to screen for the disease. The process takes about five minutes and will save participants about $200, the average cost of the test in a doctor's office. Results will be sent to each person in four to six weeks.
The clinic gives about 20,000 free screenings each year and has tested more than 100,000 men in more than 275 cities over an eight-year period. In addition, at 11 a.m., Jim Huber, Emmy-winning essayist, commentator for Turner Sports and the 2010 national spokesperson for Know Your Score, will attend a check presentation to ZERO from Know Your Score's "Closest to the Pin" fundraiser that was held at area golf courses.
Mitch Laurance, ESPN commentator, actor and prostate cancer survivor, is on the national board for ZERO — The Project to End Prostate Cancer and talked about the upcoming screening.
At what age should men begin screenings for prostate cancer?
It's my opinion that at age 40, for most men, it's not a bad time to start being tested to get a benchmark, but definitely 50 and over ... if you have a benchmark, then you have a running total from [age] 40 to 50. For all of us working in this field, all of our research says you can start it that early. For those with a history of it [in the family], certainly that would be a good idea to start earlier, and African-American men have a one-third greater chance of getting it than other men, so they are a higher risk group.
(Skip Lockwood of ZERO — The Project to End Prostate Cancer said the vast majority of professional societies in the country say that for high-risk patients, 40 is the starting point, 45 for someone with average risk, while the American Cancer Society says 50.)
Is it really as simple as a blood test?
The PSA is just a simple blood test. Of course, if there's a history or the PSA indicates a need for it, there's a physical exam and others that can be done.
What do you say to guys who shy away from testing?
I'd tell them: Grow up. The way to get past that is to start talking about it, find out what it entails. It's not a big deal at all if you care about being around a long time with your family.
This is a staggering statistic: It is 99 percent curable when it's found early enough. In my experience as a survivor [at 52], it was just lucky for me that I decided to go in. ... I'm eight years clear, and I'm incredibly fortunate to be normal and back to where I was before.
At least one in six men is going to get it if you live long enough. It's a man's disease, it comes from having a prostate and living a long time. Our mission is to make sure men, who have a chance to take care of it, do.
For more information, visit ZeroCancer.org and GolfHoliday.com.
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About ZERO — The Project to End Prostate Cancer (www.zerocancer.org)
At ZERO, we commit ourselves not only to reduce prostate cancer or alleviate the pain from the disease, but also to end it. We see a future where all men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer will be cured or manage their illness with good quality of life; with the support they need to minimize physical and emotional suffering, and to cope effectively throughout their cancer journey. To accomplish our goal, we provide comprehensive treatment information to patients, education to those at risk and conduct free prostate cancer testing throughout the country. We increase research funds from the federal government to find new treatments and we fund local grants to end the disease.
