Question 215 of 433
What should I know about my prostate?
The short answer
Two different things happen with age: benign enlargement, which affects urination, and prostate cancer, which is common, usually slow, and occasionally deadly.
Getting up at night, a weak stream, and urgency usually come from benign enlargement and respond well to medication or minimally invasive procedures. For cancer screening, a PSA blood test is a personal decision starting at about 50, or 40 to 45 for Black men and those with a family history. A raised PSA no longer leads straight to biopsy. An MRI comes first, which has reduced unnecessary procedures. Many low-risk prostate cancers are now safely watched instead of treated.
“This book is for education. It is not medical advice, and reading it does not make you my patient or create a doctor-patient relationship.” From the book’s medical disclaimer. Full disclaimer
GUIDELINE / HUMAN TRIALS — Men: prostate screening is preference- and risk-sensitive; MRI and surveillance apply selectively.Evidence grade (draft mapping)GGuideline-based / consensusPart 15, Q215 · Part sources
From Longevity Unmasked by Afshine Ash Emrani, MD, FACC. Medical disclaimer. This book is for education. It is not medical advice, and reading it does not make you my patient or create a doctor-patient relationship. Nothing here is meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Medicine is personal: a test, drug, supplement, or exercise plan that helps one person can harm another. Do not start, stop, or change any medication or treatment because of something you read in these pages. Talk with a licensed clinician who knows your history first. If you think you are having a medical emergency, call 911. The author disclaims responsibility for any loss or harm arising from use of the information in this book.