Response needed for following peer post:
Discuss the risk factors, common presentation and physical exam findings of prostate cancer. Discuss the most recent American Cancer Society guidelines for prostate cancer screening.
According to the American Cancer Society, 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime (2024). Currently in 2024, there have been 299,010 new cases of prostate cancer (American Cancer Society, 2024). Risks factors of prostate cancer include the following: age, family history, ethnicity, genetic factors, and lifestyle.
· Age: the risk of developing prostate cancer increases with age, more specifically men over the age of 50.
· Family history: the risk of developing prostate cancer increases in individuals who have family members who have been diagnosed.
· Ethnicity: research has shown that African American men have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer.
· Genetic influence: research has shown that men who inherited the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene are at an increased risk of developing prostate cancer.
· Lifestyle factors: research from the American Cancer Society has shown men who follow a high-fat diet or those who are considered obese are at a higher risk of developing prostate cancer (American Cancer Society, 2024).
Many men with who develop prostate cancer are asymptomatic in the early stages. As the cancer progresses many men develop problems with frequent urination, difficulty urinating, or have blood in their urine. In the advanced stages, many men with prostate cancer present with weight loss, fatigue, and weakness throughout (Goolsby & Grubbs, 2023).
Physical exam findings include a hard or irregularly shaped prostate upon digital rectal examination, weight loss, numbness and lymphedema in the lower extremities, and bladder tenderness upon light palpitation (Goolsby & Grubbs, 2023).
The American Cancer Society’s guidelines for prostate cancer screening include performing a digital rectal exam where a licensed professional inserts a lubricated finger into the patient’s rectum to feel for a hard or irregularly shaped prostate. This test should be completed in men over 50 annually. ACS also suggests screening for prostate cancer by having the patient’s Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) drawn and analyzed for elevated levels.
