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CONTACT: Stephanie Marquis, (608) 266-1683
EARLY PROSTATE CANCER DETECTION CAN SAVE LIVES
MADISON - State health officials are urging men age 50 and older
to discuss prostate cancer with their doctor. Three of the four main risk
factors for prostate cancer are not preventable (age, race, family
history), so early detection through screening provides the best
opportunity to ensure high survival. The most recent state report,
Wisconsin Cancer Incidence and Mortality, 2000-2004, shows that more than
three-fourths of prostate cancers were detected early.
"Cancer touches everyone's lives. Most of us have known someone
who's been diagnosed with cancer," said Secretary Karen Timberlake.
"The main risk factor for prostate cancer is age. Therefore, all men
age 50 and older should discuss screening options with their doctor. Early
detection has the potential to increase survival and treatment
options."
Men at high risk of prostate cancer should start discussing the
benefits of testing with their doctor at age 45. Those who are at high
risk include African American men and men who have a first-degree relative
- father, brother, or son - diagnosed with prostate cancer at an early age
(younger than age 65).
In 2004, approximately 3,900 Wisconsin men were diagnosed with prostate
cancer and more than 650 died from the disease. Nationally, prostate
cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men and it's
expected that more than 230,000 new cases of prostate cancer will be
diagnosed this year alone. There is often no way to detect prostate cancer
in its early stages except through a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) blood
test and a Digital Rectal Exam (DRE) done by a trained professional.
Other types of cancer are also detectable at an early stage by
screening tests. The Wisconsin Cancer Incidence and Mortality, 2000-2004,
also showed:
- Only 37 percent of colorectal cancers were detected early (at a
localized stage)
- 62 percent of breast cancers were detected early
- Approximately half of invasive cervical cancers were detected early
- Only 20 percent of lung cancers were detected early
Colorectal Cancer. Survival from colorectal cancer is more than
90 percent when the cancer is diagnosed before it has extended beyond the
intestinal wall. Colorectal cancer develops slowly over a period of
several years. Before cancer develops there are usually precancerous
growths called polyps.
The American Cancer Society recommends screening beginning at age 50.
Colorectal cancers can almost always be cured if detected early. There is
a 90 percent chance of survival five years after diagnosis if a patient is
diagnosed at the earliest stage. Therefore, it is important for all adults
aged 50 and older (at average risk) to follow the American Cancer
Society's screening guidelines.
Individuals are considered at higher risk if there is: a family history
of colorectal cancer or adenomatous polyps in a first-degree relative; a
personal history of colorectal cancer, polyps, or chronic inflammatory
bowel disease; or a family history of hereditary colorectal cancer
syndrome. Higher risk individuals should consider screening prior to age
50.
Breast Cancer. The majority of breast cancers can be treated
successfully if detected early. An annual mammogram from age 40 and older
is the most effective way to detect breast cancer at an early, curable
stage. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Wisconsin,
regardless of race. Breast cancer accounts for nearly one-third of all
cancers diagnosed in women. Early detection through mammography screening
provides the best chance of discovering breast cancer at an early stage
and increasing survival. The national five-year relative survival rate for
women diagnosed with breast cancer at the local stage was 98 percent in
1996-2002.
Cervical Cancer. Nationally, cervical cancer incidence and
mortality rates decreased 67 percent over the past three decades with most
of the reduction attributed to the Pap test. Approximately 95 percent of
Wisconsin women have had a Pap test at some time in their lives. Early
stage invasive cervical cancer is one of the most successfully treatable
cancers. Nationally, the five-year relative survival rate for women
diagnosed at a local stage was 92 percent in 1996-2002.
An annual Pap test and pelvic examination are recommended for women 18
and older or women who are sexually active. Pap tests can detect
pre-cancers, allowing for treatment before cervical cancer develops. Signs
and symptoms of cervical cancer include abnormal vaginal discharge and
abnormal vaginal bleeding or spotting.
Lung Cancer. More people die from lung cancer than from breast,
prostate and colorectal cancers combined.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among both males and
females in Wisconsin, but is most often diagnosed at a later stage.
Survival is highest if lung cancer is diagnosed early, with a 49 percent
five-year survival rate for lung cancers diagnosed at the local stage.
However, only 21 percent of lung cancers in Wisconsin were diagnosed at
this stage in 2003.
Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable deaths in Wisconsin and
the United States. The best way to avoid lung cancer is to not start using
tobacco or to quit if you do use it. If you smoke, your doctor can suggest
ways to help you kick the habit or you can call the Wisconsin Tobacco Quit
Line (1-800-QUIT-NOW) for information on treatments that can help you
quit.
For more information about cancer, go to:
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Last Revised: July 12, 2010
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