a special gift for dad

On Father’s Day we honor our fathers for being the providers for the family. This year, let’s celebrate our fathers by encouraging them to get a prostate exam. It is likely that most men don’t even know where their prostate is; let alone what it does or how prostate cancer can affect their lifestyle. Luckily, your family at rolling out has your dad’s back.

The prostate is a small reproductive gland that resides below the bladder and in front of the rectum. The prostate functions by producing the semen found in ejaculate. As men age, the prostate grows larger and can simultaneously disrupt the flow of urine during urination. This is due to the fact that the growing prostate can constrict the urethra, which carries urine from the bladder to the penis; the effect is similar to that of a twisted garden hose. A tumor may also trigger the prostate to grow and thus cause a similar outcome.

It is important to get regular prostate screenings to catch the cancer early. Early warning signs include: difficulty passing urine, burning sensation while urinating and excessive trips to the bathroom. Again, these are early warning signs that typically are experienced in a man’s 30s or 40s. There are various techniques that your doctor may use to detect prostate growth. Perhaps the most notorious technique is the digital rectal exam (DRE). The DRE is where the doctor literally feels for prostate growth in the patient. A less invasive technique is the prostate specific antigen test (PSA). The PSA is simply a blood test that gauges the level of a specific enzyme produced by the prostate. Lastly, is the biopsy, which involves the removal of cells and tissue for observation or chemical analysis.

The hard truth about prostate cancer is that it affects black men more than any other ethnic group. According to the National Cancer Institute, African American men are at the highest risk of developing prostate cancer. Furthermore, the cancer develops earlier and grows faster in black men compared to other races. Diet is also an important risk factor to consider, as the risk of cancer increases for men who maintain high-fat diets. Let’s encourage our dads to get screened for prostate cancer. It’s a Father’s Day gift that could save his life. delgie jones