Reducing cancer risks

Prostate cancer

While there aren’t specific guidelines about prostate cancer screenings, there is a blood test called a PSA (prostate-specific antigen level) to screen for prostate cancer. That blood test can be elevated for many different reasons, not just prostate cancer. It can elevate with age, or if the prostate is enlarged, or if there’s any infection in the prostate. But we do know that it’s correlated with prostate cancer if it’s higher.

It is generally recommended that a person have a discussion with their physician starting at age 50 for men at average risk to talk about getting that blood test annually, and that’s if you expected to live at least 10 more years. Then, depending on your family history, or if you’re any African American man, or any man who has had a first-degree relative, like father or a brother that has had prostate cancer, it’s recommended to start that conversation at age 45.

We do know Prostate cancer is more common in African American men, so they are considered to be at a higher risk.

According to the American Cancer Society in 2023, for newly diagnosed cases, the top cancers in men in the United States are prostate, followed by lung, and followed by colon cancer. For women in 2023, the top cancer was breast cancer, followed by lung and then colon cancer. For all of those cancers, there are screenings available.

In addition to consulting with your primary care doctor, the American Cancer Society is one resource for those who have questions about what’s recommended for screenings and the guidelines.

Don’t put screenings off

“A lot of people put off screenings due to fear of the unknown, not wanting to find out something bad,” said Uhler. “And unfortunately, monetary, sometimes is a reason why people put things off.”

Most insurance plans and Medicare should cover these recommended preventative screenings, but there can still be costs involved for mammograms and colonoscopies, so it’s always important to check with your health system about the expected cost, and also check with your insurance plan.

“Overall, reducing risk is about leading a healthy lifestyle, eating healthy, being active, and keeping up with your regular wellness visits with your primary care doctor,” Uhler said.

As we age, important things to keep doing are to keep physically, socially, and mentally active, she said.

To keep physically active, you should get regular exercise, at least 150 minutes a week. Keeping socially active might mean talking on the phone with friends or going to dinner. A mental activity might be doing a crossword puzzle, Sudoku, or reading.

Early detection key

Uhler said early detection is key in oncology treatment. When you find things early, there are more treatment options, usually. For example, if Colon cancer is found early enough, the treatment can just be surgery alone, where they remove the tumor, and you may not need chemotherapy or radiation at all. It’s just something that they monitor with repeat colonoscopies and scans.

“The matter of early detection can really guide your treatments and can mean not needing chemo or radiation, which would be ideal,” she said.