Preventing Prostate Cancer: What You Need to Know from Dr. Buss
How common is prostate cancer? These stats from The American Cancer Society show why it is such an important health issue for men:
- Other than skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the U.S.
- About one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime.
- Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in American men.
The American Cancer Society’s 2025 estimates for prostate cancer in the U.S. are:
- About 313,780 new cases of prostate cancer
- About 35,770 deaths from prostate cancer
“Every provider who sees men over 50 sees a lot of prostate cancer and the impact it can have on our patients’ lives,” Spira Care physician Dr. Matthew Buss said.
What is Prostate Cancer?
Prostate cancer is the growth of abnormal cells that begin in the prostate, which is a small gland found only in males that helps make semen. The prostate organ is part of the male reproductive system and is found just below the bladder.
“Because of the location of the prostate being wrapped around the urethra, if cancer is growing in the prostate, men can have a weaker urine stream and have difficult urinating,” Dr. Buss said.
Symptoms that Dr. Buss says could be a sign of prostate cancer include:
- Getting up in the middle of the night to urinate
- Having diminished urine stream
- Taking longer to finish urinating
- Feeling like you don’t completely empty your bladder
“Some people who are at increased risk are people with a family history of prostate cancer, African Americans and men at an older age,” Dr. Buss said.
According to John Hopkins Medicine, one way to lower your risk of prostate cancer is by adopting a healthy diet and lifestyle.
“It’s important to maintain a healthy weight because obesity can be a risk factor to develop aggressive prostate cancer,” Dr. Buss said. “Regular exercise reduces inflammation and improves immune function. Quitting smoking, drinking in moderation if you drink and staying sexually active can lower your risk of prostate cancer.”
How to Get Screened for Prostate Cancer
“Primary Care Providers (PCPs) do the vast majority of prostate cancer screenings,” Dr. Buss said. “Providers have their own method to screen, depending on the way they were taught in residency. Usually when prostate cancer is present, you don’t have symptoms, which is why screening can be a useful tool.”
The main tools to screen for prostate cancer, include:
- PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) Blood Test, which measures the amount of prostate-specific antigen in your blood. PSA is a protein produced by both cancerous and noncancerous tissue in the prostate. The PSA test can detect high levels of PSA that may indicate the presence of prostate cancer. However, many other conditions, such as an enlarged or inflamed prostate, also can increase PSA levels.
- Digital Rectal Exam (DRE), when the doctor inserts a gloved, lubricated finger into the rectum to feel for bumps or hard areas on the prostate that might be cancer. Prostate cancer often begins in the back part of the gland and can sometimes be felt during a rectal exam. This exam can be uncomfortable (especially for men who have hemorrhoids), but it usually isn’t painful and only takes a short time. DRE is less effective than the PSA blood test in finding prostate cancer, but it can sometimes find cancers in men with normal PSA levels.
When to Get Screened for Prostate Cancer
While 67 is the average age of men first diagnosed with prostate cancer, recommendations for prostate cancer detection start earlier. Dr. Buss says most of the recommendations for people with average risk are to start getting checked at age 50-55.
“Generally, the thought is, consistent with The American Cancer Society, 40 for men at high risk, such as men with more than one relative who had prostate cancer at an early age,” Dr. Buss said. “The American Urological Society says starting around 40-45 for those with African American ancestry. All the major organizations say getting screened should be a shared decision between the patient and provider.”
Talk to Your PCP About Preventing Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is usually found early, and it often grows slowly. According to the Mayo Clinic, most people with prostate cancer are cured.
“The most important thing is to come in and have a discussion with your provider,” Dr. Buss said. “If a screening is something you and your provider want to do, there are very simple, non-evasive ways to screen for prostate cancer. We can talk about your risk factors, symptoms and any concerns. Some of my patients have been saved by early recognition.”
Matthew Buss (buhs) (he/him), MD, is a physician at Spira Care Overland Park. Dr. Buss has been practicing family medicine in the Kansas City metropolitan area for more than 25 years. He believes in the value of a healthy diet and exercise in supporting overall health and wellbeing and is passionate about partnering with his patients to achieve their health goals through healthy lifestyle choices. Dr. Buss enjoys building relationships with his patients by spending time learning about their lives and listening to their concerns.
Sources:
- American Family Physician: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39556631/
- John Hopkins Medicine: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/prostate-cancer/prostate-cancer-prevention
- The American Cancer Society: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/prostate-cancer/about/key-statistics.html and https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/prostate-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/tests.html
- Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/prostate-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20353087 and https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/psa-test/about/pac-20384731
