Prostate Cancer: The Beast Within

Ken Jones receives the Golden Trowel Award from Buffalo Lodge #554 A.F. & A.M. His wife Martha is pinning the award while Wallace Jones, who presented the award to Ken Jones, looks on. Photo by Mac Shadix In this beautiful English language of ours there are phrases we would love to hear such as, “You just won the lottery.” But, the chance of hearing that phrase is too remote to comprehend. Likewise, there are phrases we dread to hear such as, “Your biopsy tested positive for cancer.” Unfortunately, the chance of hearing this state- ment is much more probable. Hearing that you tested positive for the big ‘C’ overshadows everything else going on in your life. The most common prognosis for cancer in men, especially men 65 and older, is prostate cancer.

More than 220,000 American men are diagnosed annually with prostate cancer. Although 65 seems to be the magic age, many men in their 40’s through 50’s also get it. The trick is to catch it early enough before the cancer manages to escape from the confines of the prostate into the lymph nodes and beyond. That is why men, especially men 40 and over, are encouraged to get a prostate exam and PSA test annually. The advent of the PSA test has saved the lives of many men by detecting a problem in the prostate early. The PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) test is a simple blood analysis that checks for one thing, as the name indicates, antigens in the blood that are put there by the prostate. In my case, I waited until age 60 to start going to my urologist on a regular annual basis. My PSA reading was just below 3. Then one year it hit 3.2, which raised the red flag. My urologist then said he wanted to see me every six months. In my case the urologist felt no physical symptoms during his exam. In the ensuing months my PSA began to fluctuate between 3.5 and 4.5. Many of you reading this are like me, retired and came to the country to live on the land and drive our tractors. Driving tractors, taking long road trips, and other types of such activity can aggravate the prostate and cause the PSA reading to be higher than nor mal. So fellows, before you go get your prostate exam and PSA test, stay off the tractor or reframe from other such activity for a few days before the test.

Mike Foucheux I spent a fair amount of time bouncing up and down on my tractor and thought that was the reason for my elevated PSA reading. So, I decided to be sure and refrain from these activities prior to testing. I felt reasonably healthy except, like most men my age, I had an enlarged prostate. This is not a sign of cancer, but rather normal for men 65 and older. Why? Because the prostate is one gland in the body that continues to grow as we age. Also, bouncing around on the tractor can cause prostate enlargement. (I personally believe it can cause more problems than that.) Except for affecting the urination process, prostate enlargement and/or prostate cancer will give you no symptoms, but the beast within can still be there. Prostate cancer is a slow growing cancer. Many men, statistics say 80%, who live long enough die with it, but not necessarily from it. However, do not take that statement lightly, prostate cancer is a major killer of men. Statistically, black American males are at higher risk than white males. There is no scientific evidence as to what causes prostate cancer or why certain races are more susceptible than others. Some statisticians think it has something to do with the amount of sexual activity, others think it is the diet, and some think the life-style, but there is no conclusive evidence. One thing that is evident, although cancer itself is not inherited, the ability for our bodies to fight off or be more susceptible to cancer is inherited. So fellows, if cancer runs in your family I encourage you to be more proactive about getting tested.