BOSTON — With the start of Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in September, Senator Brian A. Joyce is urging men in his district and across the Commonwealth to talk to their doctors about available options in prostate cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment.
“Routine preventative screenings could save countless lives,” said Joyce. “Early detection is the key to beating prostate cancer and can provide a family with many more years spent with a father, husband or son.”
Prostate cancer, a central issue in men’s health, is the most common malignancy in Massachusetts and strikes one in seven men statewide. Although prostate cancer is curable when detected early, over 600 Massachusetts men will die this year from the disease. It is more common and lethal than even breast cancer, particularly in the African American community.
Men age 50 to 69 are encouraged to discuss screening options with a doctor, and should have routine screenings every two years. High-risk men age 40 and over should be provided with the same screening education and options as men age 50 to 69.