Prostate Cancer Awareness
Live Healthy and Be Well
by Guy Gober, MD
W
e are now in month six of our across America COVID-19 crisis. My personal experience with the pandemic began in Nevada at Nellis Air Force Base Hospital on March 15th, 2020. This was the
In June of 2020 I traveled from Nevada, with my son, through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama and ultimately found myself home safe in Rabun County, Georgia. We, both my son and I, have by the grace of God remained symptom free and test negative. Every State park, every campground, every restaurant, McDonalds, gas station and coffee shop from Las Vegas to Clayton had a different standard for COVID-19 Prevention. There is, however, one constant: our lives, our jobs, our families, and our personal healthcare have been put on hold. The last case I performed at Nellis, a prostate ultrasound and biopsy, revealed an early stage prostate cancer. cancer. Both are eminently treatable and curable. I am reminded of the words of my Medical School Pathologist, Dr. J. Robert Teabeaut, rest his soul, “Cancer doesn’t know what day it is, Guy.” Cancer follows no one’s schedule, is not oriented to convenience, and most importantly, in this day and time, cancer has no regard for our COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, prostate cancer death rates are predicted to rise. Prostate cancer remains the most common cancer diagnosis in men. One in nine men will be diagnosed in their lifetime. Early detection saves lives. Cure rates with early stage prostate cancer approach 99 per cent. However, advanced stage disease has a less than 30 per cent rate of survival. Those at highest risk most deserve the necessary screening for prostate disease. Who is at risk? Current guidelines start at age 45 years old for the following groups. 1) family history (father/brother) positive for prostate cancer. 2) African American males 3) history of prostatitis or recurrent prostate obstruction 3) family history BRAC gene (1 or 2) mutations and 4) military veterans. All men at age 50 years old should be advised to obtain yearly prostate exams and PSA (lab test). These recommendations follow the guidelines of the American Cancer Society, National Cancer Institute and Centers for Disease Control. And, by the way – this month of September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. In Rabun County we can still do our part. On the second Saturday of September we hold our annual Prostate Cancer
56 GML - September 2020
