Prostate Cancer Awareness: Why Early Detection Matters

Because September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in the United States, it’s a great time to discuss the benefits of finding the disease early, when it’s more manageable.

Genesis Personal Healthcare Medicine is a telehealth primary care medical practice based in New York City. Our team, led by Gritz Pierre, MD, MBA, provides outstanding care for people seeking to live their healthiest lives. From chronic disease management to preventive care for the entire family, we’re here to support your long-term well-being.

Dr. Pierre believes that wellness conversations about issues like prostate cancer give you the opportunity to understand your individual risk factors. With that knowledge, we hope to help you make informed decisions about your health.

Here’s what to know about prostate cancer screening, including when to discuss screening, what screening may involve (such as a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test or digital rectal exam (DRE)), and warning signs you should discuss with your doctor.

Prostate cancer may not cause early symptoms

One of the biggest challenges with prostate cancer is that early disease often doesn’t announce itself. You may feel completely healthy while cancer is developing within the prostate.

When symptoms do occur, they can resemble common urinary problems associated with aging or an enlarged prostate. Changes may include:

• A weaker urine stream
• Difficulty starting urination
• More frequent trips to the bathroom
• Waking during the night to urinate

Blood in your urine or semen, erectile difficulties, or persistent pain in your back, hips, or pelvis can also occur, particularly with more advanced disease.

Experiencing these symptoms doesn't automatically mean cancer is present. However, these changes should be discussed with Dr. Pierre or another healthcare provider rather than simply being attributed to aging.

Screening helps find cancer earlier

At Genesis Personal Healthcare Medicine, Dr. Pierre can discuss your personal risk factors, such as age and family history, and determine whether further prostate cancer screening may be appropriate. Depending on your individual risk factors, he may recommend a PSA blood test, a DRE, or additional in-person evaluation.

If you have a close relative who has had prostate cancer, you may have a higher risk and could benefit from screening at an earlier age.

Importantly, an elevated PSA doesn’t automatically mean cancer. PSA levels can increase for several reasons, including benign prostate enlargement and inflammation. If a result is abnormal, additional evaluation can help determine what may be causing the change.

Why early detection makes a difference

Finding prostate cancer before it has spread beyond the prostate can provide more treatment options. Depending on the cancer's characteristics and the patient's overall health, care may involve active surveillance, surgery, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, or other approaches.

Treatment for prostate cancer depends on several factors, including how aggressive the cancer is and the patient’s overall health. Dr. Pierre can help patients understand their diagnosis and appropriate next steps, which may include close monitoring or treatment. Some tumors grow slowly and may be safely monitored with regular testing and follow-up (active surveillance). However, other tumors are more aggressive and need prompt treatment. Early evaluation helps doctors understand which situation they’re dealing with.

That distinction matters. The goal of screening isn’t simply to find cancer. It’s to identify disease early enough to make thoughtful treatment decisions.

Know your risk and have the conversation

Prostate Cancer Awareness Month is a useful reminder, but the conversation shouldn’t be limited to a single month. And there’s no need to wait for symptoms before learning about prostate cancer risk. 

Staying informed, keeping routine appointments, and paying attention to changes in urinary or sexual health are all essential in maintaining your health.

At Genesis Personal Healthcare Medicine, our telehealth approach to quality medical care makes these conversations easy and convenient. For a tailored approach to healthcare from a patient-focused, expertly trained physician, call the office or book your telehealth consultation online today.