This Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, Remember This Important “Point”
New Public Awareness Effort from Michigan Institute of Urology
Troy, Mich. (September 3, 2024) – During September’s Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, the Michigan Institute of Urology wants to stress an important point—0.75.
If your prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level increases by more than 0.75 in one year, it could be prostate cancer.
“Your PSA number is important, and so is the rate at which it changes,” said Dr. Kenneth Kernen at MIU. “There are men with a PSA of 20 who don’t have prostate cancer and men with a PSA of 2 who do.”
High levels of PSA do not always mean cancer and normal levels of PSA do not guarantee cancer is not present.
“What’s crucial for men is having a baseline. Know your normal PSA level and have it tested annually so you are alerted to any unusual changes. Finding and treating prostate cancer early, when treatment might be more effective, saves lives,” said Dr. Kernen.
Both noncancerous and cancerous prostate cells make PSA, but cancerous cells tend to produce more: the PSA blood test measures and screens for this. A PSA test, along with a digital rectal exam, remains the best way to detect prostate cancer.
If it’s been over a year since your last PSA test or you’ve never had your PSA level tested, now is the time to get it done.
On Saturday, September 21, the Michigan Men’s Health Foundation, partnered with the Michigan Institute of Urology, will also host its annual free Men’s Health Event at Ford Field in Detroit. Full health and wellness screening services, including PSA tests, will be available. Interested men can register here.
About Michigan Institute of Urology
The Michigan Institute of Urology is one of Michigan’s longest-standing and largest sub-specialty urology practices. It is one of the leading urology practices in the United States, utilizing the latest, clinically proven techniques to diagnose and treat many urologic disorders in men, women, and children. Learn more at michiganurology.com.
