Dr. Paul Kenworthy Urology - Huntsville Office

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in men, with about 200,000 new prostate cancer cases each year. It is typically seen in men over the age of 50, and the incidence increases with age. Men experience about a one-in-seven chance of a prostate cancer diagnosis in their lifetime. Risk factors for prostate cancer include age, family history, race, obesity, and a diet high in saturated fats. There are many types of prostate cancer. The most common form is adenocarcinoma which is found in the granular part of the prostate. Rare types of prostate cancer include ductal carcinoma, signet-ring cell carcinoma, mucinous carcinoma, clear cell adenocarcinoma, small cell carcinoma, and giant cell carcinoma. It is imperative to know which kind of prostate cancer you have as the rare types are often more aggressive and require different therapies as opposed to adenocarcinoma. Today, most prostate cancers are diagnosed early using prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and therefore, more curable. The American Urologic Association’s recommendations for prostate cancer screening are: Prostate cancer screening should be a shared decision between urologist and patient. A serum prostate-specific antigen and a digital prostate exam should both be performed during a prostate cancer screening. Men between the ages of 55-69 should be screened regularly. Men 70+ should be screened based on medical history and life expectancy. Men with a family history of prostate cancer and African Americans should begin prostate cancer screening at 40. Screenings should be performed every 1-2 years depending on the patient.