Men with a family history of prostate cancer have better overall survival rates
Having a father or brother with prostate cancer more than doubles a man's risk of developing this disease
Dr. David Samadi, a New York City prostate cancer surgeon, urges all men, regardless of family history, to be screened for prostate cancer
The best chances for long-term prostate cancer survival will always be finding and treating it early”
NEW YORK CITY, NY, UNITED STATES, March 2, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ -- If you assume men with a family history of prostate cancer have a higher risk of dying, think again. A recent study published in European Urology found just the opposite. Men with two or more male relatives (father or brother) with the disease have a 20% lower mortality risk. Why? Men with a family history are likely more aware of their increased risk. Therefore, they likely take more advantage of prostate cancer screenings than men without a family history. — Dr. David Samadi
Prostate cancer in the family
Family history matters when it comes to prostate cancer. Indeed, men whose father or a brother(s) had the disease have a 2 to 4-fold higher chance of being diagnosed. Prostate cancer tends to have a high heritable risk of 57%, due to genetic factors.
A prostate cancer diagnosis for a man with a family history of this disease is significant. Healthcare providers know this and therefore, may assume their rate of survival to be lower. But, not according to this study. It demonstrates that when men with a family history of prostate cancer are educated about their elevated risk, will take advantage of screening early and often in the hopes of detecting the disease at a more treatable stage.
Doctors should advise men with a family history to get screened at 40 and then closely monitored as they age. In these cases, the benefits of prostate cancer screening outweigh the risks involved. In addition, prostate cancer awareness campaigns have demonstrated the impact these efforts have on adding more years to a man’s life.
In other words, men genetically inclined to develop the disease often already know this information thanks to the awareness of risk factors like family history. They are more proactive in getting regular PSA blood testing at an earlier age screening for prostate cancer.
Unfortunately, men often put off screening for the disease. The study highlighted this ongoing problem, especially among minority populations. Men in these populations either skip or are unaware of the simple PSA blood test. PSA (prostate-specific antigen) is a screening tool for detecting the disease at an early, more treatable stage. Therefore, minority populations are often diagnosed with aggressive, advanced prostate cancer making treatment difficult with higher mortality rates.
The overall message from this study emphasizes prostate cancer awareness can significantly impacts men’s health. The goal is to save more men’s lives from succumbing to this terrible disease. That’s why educating men of all races about yearly screening for prostate cancer beginning at age 40, regardless of a family history, is critical. The best chances for long-term prostate cancer survival will always be finding and treating it early.
References: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36528478/
Dr. David Samadi is the Director of Men’s Health and Urologic Oncology at St. Francis Hospital in Long Island. He’s a renowned and highly successful board certified Urologic Oncologist Expert and Robotic Surgeon in New York City, regarded as one of the leading prostate surgeons in the U.S., with a vast expertise in prostate cancer treatment and Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy. Dr. Samadi is a medical contributor to NewsMax TV and is also the author of The Ultimate MANual, Dr. Samadi’s Guide to Men’s Health and Wellness, available online both on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Visit Dr. Samadi’s websites at robotic oncology and prostate cancer 911.
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