Brazosport Regional Host Annual Prostate Cancer Screening
to Battle the Most Common Cancer in Men
 In recognition of Prostate Cancer Awareness month, Brazosport Regional Health System will host their annual screening for prostate cancer on Friday, September 30th between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. at the Brazosport Regional Cancer Center in Lake Jackson.
The screening will consist of a prostate specific antigen test and an optional digital rectal exam (DRE). A blood test to measure prostate specific antigen (PSA) is considered the most effective test currently available for early detection of prostate cancer. However, a man’s PSA level alone does not give doctors enough information to distinguish between benign prostate conditions and cancer, therefore a DRE is combined with the PSA to detect for bumps or abnormal areas on the prostate gland.
Doctors recommend prostate cancer screening for men over the age of 50, however men with risk factors such as positive family history, who are African American or have certain dietary habits should start screening at age 45. According to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, men over the age of 75 should not be screened because the potential harm of treatment outweighs the benefits. Some studies suggest that developing the disease can be related to genetics. Men who have a father or brother with prostate cancer have a greater chance of developing prostate cancer. In addition, African-American men are more likely to have prostate cancer. As previously mentioned, diet can be another risk factor, men who eat a lot of red meat or high-fat dairy products have a higher chance of being diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in the U.S., affecting one of every six men. Brazosport Regional offers free prostate cancer screenings for the community each year and urges men to “Know Your Score.” Men who know their PSA score are three times less likely to die from prostate cancer.
Getting a PSA test at Brazosport Regional this year will put you in the drawing to win high school football tickets of your choice. For an appointment or for more information about the screenings, please call 979-415-2317. A pre-screening process will occur before completion of registration. The pre-screening process is conducted to ensure screening is appropriate for you based on the most current evidence-based data. All attendees must have an appointment and a limited amount of space is available. Brazosport Regional Cancer Center and Laboratory Services, in collaboration with Drs. Mark Bonnen, Alisa Berger, and Phil Blake, will be administering the PSA blood test and DRE.
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