VCU news

By Erin Lucero
Office of Development, School of Medicine

RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia Commonwealth University Health System will offer free prostate cancer screenings for men ages 50 and over from 2 – 5 p.m., Sept. 28, in Room 320 of the Nelson Clinic, located at 401 N. 11th St., on VCU’s Medical College of Virginia Campus.

The free screening includes a digital-rectal exam and a blood test to measure the level of prostate specific antigen (P.S.A.), a protein produced by prostate cells. In combination, these procedures allow doctors to detect many prostate cancers at an early stage when treatment is likely to be most successful.

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among men in the United States. One out of every 10 American men will develop the disease at some time in his life. Men of all ages, races and ethnic groups can get prostate cancer. Men at higher risk include those ages 55 and older, African-American men and those with a father or brother with the disease. The American Cancer Society estimates that this year 198,100 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed. In Virginia this year, 4,900 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and 800 will die of it.

In recognition of National Prostate Cancer Awareness Week, which runs from Sept. 20-30, VCU’s Division of Urology and the Massey Cancer Center will offer the screenings in collaboration with the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Information Service. For more information about prostate cancer, call the Cancer Information Service toll-free at (800) 4-CANCER.

The screenings should take about 45 minutes. Pre-registration is not required. For more information about the screenings, call the Division of Urology at (804) 828-9331.