This week Bobbi Conner talks with Dr. Eric Wallen about prostate cancer screening. Dr. Wallen is a Professor and Chair of the Urology Department at MUSC.
TRANSCRIPT:
Conner: I'm Bobbi Conner for South Carolina Public Radio with Health Focus here at the radio studio for the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. It's estimated that 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime. Doctor Eric Wallen is here to talk about prostate cancer and also screening. Doctor Wallen is a Professor and Chair of the Urology Department at MUSC. Doctor Wallen. First, tell us about prostate cancer.
Dr. Wallen: Prostate cancer is very common, particularly in men, as they age, and is often not a threat to life. But sometimes it is. We also know that there are higher rates of prostate cancer in men of African descent, and that outcomes are worse for people from rural areas.
Conner: Tell us about screening for prostate cancer.
Dr. Wallen: Screening for prostate cancer is more complicated than it really has to be, and that's because there's some controversial recommendations from different national agencies. I tend to go by the American Cancer Society, which recommends testing early, at a young age, such as 50 or even earlier for those with a family risk or who are of African descent. The screening really includes just PSA, but it can include a lot more. There are newer tests that are arguably more accurate than PSA that are urine-based tests rather than blood tests. PSA is a blood test. Prostate exam, which is called a digital rectal exam, is now done somewhat less frequently.
Conner: And what might be the confusion or perhaps pitfalls related to this PSA testing?
Dr. Wallen: PSA can vary even day by day in patients for a lot of reasons. First of all, PSA is not a cancer specific test. It is a prostate specific test. So, with prostate enlargement or prostate inflammation, PSA can be higher.
Conner: And Doctor Wallen, when might an MRI or some other screening test be needed after those initial prostate cancer tests?
Dr. Wallen: Depending on the PSA result, then the decision is made whether to do one of the additional tests and or an MRI to get more information to make a decision about moving forward or not with a prostate biopsy. I tend to use MRI when the age specific PSA level is abnormal. I will go directly to an MRI because the MRI gives really excellent anatomic information and shows me whether there is an area of concern inside the prostate.
Conner: Is there anything men can do to reduce the risk of prostate cancer?
Dr. Wallen: It appears that the Western diet increases the risk of prostate cancer. In areas of the world where the Mediterranean diet, or the traditional Asian diet is followed, there's lower rates of prostate cancer. We're also doing research into diet and exercise currently to reduce inflammatory markers in the blood, to assess whether inflammation is a factor in the development of prostate cancer.
Conner: We'll be talking again next week specifically about treatment for prostate cancer, but what can you tell us about the importance of screening and early detection?
Dr. Wallen: When prostate cancer is at its most treatable phase, that patients typically have no symptoms whatsoever. The time that we want to identify cancers, particularly whether or not they're dangerous, is when patients have no symptoms whatsoever.
Conner: Doctor Wallen, thanks for this information about prostate cancer.
Dr. Wallen: Pleasure being with you today Bobbi.
Conner: From the radio studio for the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, I'm Bobbi Conner for South Carolina Public Radio.
Health Focus transcripts are intended to accurately represent the original audio version of the program; however, some discrepancies or inaccuracies may exist. The audio format serves as the official record of Health Focus programming.
