Important Precaution: Prostate Cancer Exam

In order to promote prostate cancer prevention for men, there have been clinics and other free prostate exams offered during different functions that are designed to attract men, such as sports or movie nights. Since many men are reluctant to get these prostate cancer exams, organizations are trying to find ways to get the men to get the exam so that cancer in that area can be caught at the beginning stages and treated, rather than waiting until the man shows symptoms of the cancer that manifest in other ways, which usually mean that the cancer is in more advanced stages. The reason that the prostate cancer exam is resisted by men over forty is that it has to be done by the doctor with his finger in the rectum. This is not a pleasing thought for men and causes them to balk at getting a yearly prostate cancer exam as a precautionary measure.

Taking Care of the Body

Prostate cancer exams are the best way for men to catch cancer and other problems with the prostate in their early stages. Even though the prostate cancer exam is done through the rectum, it goes very quickly and is painless in most cases. The doctor uses his finger to feel for the prostate gland through the walls of the rectum which are very thin. The prostate gland has two smooth and rounded lobes to it. These lobes are usually about the same size and shape. When the doctor feels the prostate, he is looking for any areas that feel enlarged or that have any nodules on them which can be a sign of cancer and is at least a cause to do further testing.

For men who are fifty and older, the PSA blood test is also administered so that the enzyme levels can be checked. There are levels of zero to four of this enzyme which are produced by the normal prostate cells. When there are cancer cells, the enzyme levels are usually raised to between ten to twenty. In some cases, the levels can be over one hundred. When there are higher levels in the PSA blood test, or when there are abnormalities on the prostate cancer exam, then the man will have to undergo further testing to find out what is wrong so that it can be treated as quickly as possible. There are other reasons than cancer for these abnormalities, such as a urinary tract infection, stones in the prostate, or some other type of infection.