As we come to the end of November, some people are also wrapping up a monthlong public health campaign called “Movember,” where men grow a mustache to bring awareness to men’s health, including prostate cancer. Jorge Fernandez received a life-changing diagnosis 2 ½ years ago. At 58 years old, the married father of five from Brookline was suddenly facing the fact that he had prostate cancer.“So, it was a strange thing and certainly a scary and disconcerting thing,” Fernandez said of the moment he learned he had cancer. Fernandez said the news came as a huge shock. “I didn’t have any symptoms at all. Zero symptoms,” he said. It wasn’t until Fernandez’s primary care physician noticed that his annually monitored PSA results, which is part of a routine blood test taken by men his age, came back a bit elevated.A biopsy confirmed a significant amount of cancer was present, and after consulting with doctors and his wife, Fernandez decided surgery and removal of the prostate was his best course of action.“If this would have been left unattended, then it would be a completely different situation and probably a sad outcome,” he said. “Prostate cancer is remarkably prevalent. It is by far the most common cancer among men in the United States,” said Dr. Mark Pomerantz, clinical director of the Genitourinary Group at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.Pomerantz said cancer in the small gland located just below the bladder, which is part of the male reproductive system, is more common than we appreciate.In most cases, if a man lives long enough, he may die of old age rather than from the cancer itself.“Most people die with prostate cancer, not of prostate cancer,” he said. Pomerantz said 250,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer every year, and 30,000 of those cases will be fatal.Although it’s the second-leading cause of cancer death among men, early detection can be a lifesaver.“So, the number of diagnoses is much different than the number of prostate cancer-related deaths, and that is a reflection of how controllable and curable this disease can be,” Pomerantz said. Currently, Fernandez is cancer free and living a full and happy life.“I feel really, really good,” he said. Despite some men not wanting to talk about the sensitive nature of this type of cancer, Fernandez said awareness and having what can be an admittedly uncomfortable conversation is critical to saving lives.“Even doing this is not so easy, but I feel like it’s important to confront it and to also know that avoidance or ignoring it or just that would have been terrible for me and for the people that I love,” he said. Pomerantz said men can find inspiration in women who have made breast cancer awareness an important part of overall health care.He said the breast cancer movement has saved millions of lives, and there is no reason we can’t do the same for men when it comes to facing and fighting prostate cancer.Watch the video above for the full story.
As we come to the end of November, some people are also wrapping up a monthlong public health campaign called “Movember,” where men grow a mustache to bring awareness to men’s health, including prostate cancer.
Jorge Fernandez received a life-changing diagnosis 2 ½ years ago. At 58 years old, the married father of five from Brookline was suddenly facing the fact that he had prostate cancer.
“So, it was a strange thing and certainly a scary and disconcerting thing,” Fernandez said of the moment he learned he had cancer.
Fernandez said the news came as a huge shock.
“I didn’t have any symptoms at all. Zero symptoms,” he said.
It wasn’t until Fernandez’s primary care physician noticed that his annually monitored PSA results, which is part of a routine blood test taken by men his age, came back a bit elevated.
A biopsy confirmed a significant amount of cancer was present, and after consulting with doctors and his wife, Fernandez decided surgery and removal of the prostate was his best course of action.
“If this would have been left unattended, then it would be a completely different situation and probably a sad outcome,” he said.
“Prostate cancer is remarkably prevalent. It is by far the most common cancer among men in the United States,” said Dr. Mark Pomerantz, clinical director of the Genitourinary Group at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Pomerantz said cancer in the small gland located just below the bladder, which is part of the male reproductive system, is more common than we appreciate.
In most cases, if a man lives long enough, he may die of old age rather than from the cancer itself.
“Most people die with prostate cancer, not of prostate cancer,” he said.
Pomerantz said 250,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer every year, and 30,000 of those cases will be fatal.
Although it’s the second-leading cause of cancer death among men, early detection can be a lifesaver.
“So, the number of diagnoses is much different than the number of prostate cancer-related deaths, and that is a reflection of how controllable and curable this disease can be,” Pomerantz said.
Currently, Fernandez is cancer free and living a full and happy life.
“I feel really, really good,” he said.
Despite some men not wanting to talk about the sensitive nature of this type of cancer, Fernandez said awareness and having what can be an admittedly uncomfortable conversation is critical to saving lives.
“Even doing this is not so easy, but I feel like it’s important to confront it and to also know that avoidance or ignoring it or just that would have been terrible for me and for the people that I love,” he said.
Pomerantz said men can find inspiration in women who have made breast cancer awareness an important part of overall health care.
He said the breast cancer movement has saved millions of lives, and there is no reason we can’t do the same for men when it comes to facing and fighting prostate cancer.
Watch the video above for the full story.
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