| Diagnosis of Prostate
Cancer Remains High Among American Men
Men Are Encouraged to Get Annual Screenings; Post-Treatment
Education Is Essential
(ARA) - With a new diagnosis every three minutes and more
than 230,000 estimated new cases expected in the United States
this year alone, prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed
non-skin cancer among American men. Yet despite its prevalence,
prostate cancer and its associated treatment-related side
effects, including incontinence, remain topics that are not
often openly discussed.
The National Prostate Cancer Coalition (NPCC) has partnered
with Kimberly-Clark Corporation to encourage men to learn
the facts about the disease and its side effects and make
prostate cancer screening a part of their annual health routine.
NPCC is the largest advocacy organization dedicated to raising
awareness about prostate cancer, and Kimberly-Clark is a leading
consumer products company dedicated to helping people care
for themselves and their families. Together, the NPCC and
Kimberly-Clark encourage all men to:
* Know the facts about prostate cancer (i.e., it afflicts
one in six men annually);
* Recognize the signs and symptoms associated with prostate
cancer;
* Open the lines of communication with their healthcare providers;
* Share their experiences with their fathers, sons, brothers
and friends;
* Get screened themselves if over 50 -- younger if African
American or with a family history of the disease; and
* Get educated on what to expect from treatment and beyond.
Through community outreach programs such as the Drive Against
Prostate Cancer (a mobile screening vehicle reaching 10,000
men per year), NPCC estimates that as much as 9 percent of
American men have prostate cancer or other urologic conditions.
“While doctors’ offices report that only about
4 percent of men exhibit signs of prostate cancer and/or other
urological problems, we have found that number to be twice
as high,” says Jamie Bearse, NPCC’s Spokesman.
“We see this as an indication that local educational
efforts like the Drive Against Prostate Cancer are needed
to continue increasing awareness of the condition and encourage
men to seek help.”
More information on NPCC’s Drive Against Prostate Cancer
can be found at www.pcacoalition.org.
In addition, a recent survey by the NPCC revealed that men
report incontinence as one of the top three treatment-related
side effects on which they need additional information. Most
men don’t realize that they will experience loss of
bladder control as a side effect to prostate cancer treatment,
and most don’t understand that it’s usually only
temporary and always manageable. Most often, bladder control
will improve gradually over a period of weeks.
Effective management techniques that help improve quality
of life and activity level include bladder retraining, exploring
medications or surgical options, and using absorbent products
such as Depend Undergarments and Guards for Men. Men should
be encouraged to talk with their healthcare providers about
their symptoms and appropriate management options. They can
also use a new bladder health self-assessment tool, accessed
online at www.Depend.com/tool, to help gauge their bladder
control loss symptoms.
Through raising awareness of prostate cancer, emphasizing
the importance of an annual prostate cancer screening, and
encouraging an open dialogue with healthcare providers to
discuss what to expect after treatment, NPCC and Kimberly-Clark
believe the quality of life for those in treatment and post-treatment
can be improved.
Courtesy of ARA Content
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