Is age a factor to be considered?

If you have questions about prostate health please post them here for our experts and charity partners to answer.

Moderator: talkhealth

Locked
4 posts
Guest Posts
Posts: 796
Joined: Wed Sep 07, 2016 4:12 pm
Quote

by Guest Posts on Tue Nov 08, 2016 12:43 pm

Is age a factor to be considered?

On behalf of Lynn:
Is there a need for more frequent checkups as a person reaches a particular age or do prostate problems become more common at a certain age group?
talkhealth team on behalf of a guest visitor

User avatar
Mr Christopher Eden
Posts: 19
Joined: Mon Nov 21, 2011 3:03 pm
Quote

by Mr Christopher Eden on Tue Nov 08, 2016 5:54 pm

Re: Is age a factor to be considered?

Lynn

Good question. Men aged 40 - 70 should know their PSA. I know that this is controversial at present but we have very good evidence that despite PSA not being wholly specific and/or sensitive for prostate cancer screening with PSA saves lives. The survival advantage at 14 years in the European ERSPC trial was 44% at 14 years compared to men with no screening.

As far as benign enlargement of the prostate is concerned and the development of urinary symptoms, this is certainly correlated with age but we don't need to screen for it. So the bottom line is, if you are 40-70 get your PSA checked (and repeated yearly if it is more than 1.0 ng/ml or every 2 years if is is less than this figure) and if you have urinary symptoms then see a doctor.
Professor Christopher Eden
Consultant Urologist

http://www.talkhealthpartnership.com/on ... h_2013.php

User avatar
Mr Benjamin Challacombe
Posts: 121
Joined: Mon Nov 12, 2012 2:41 pm
Quote

by Mr Benjamin Challacombe on Mon Nov 14, 2016 10:19 pm

Re: Is age a factor to be considered?

I fully agree
Almost All diseases are more common as people age.
if you don't smoke, exercise regularly, and are healthy then there are a few screening tests that might be advised.
One is the PSA test for prostate disease (not just prostate cancer)
the others are getting your kidneys and abdominal aorta ultrasound scanned to check for tumours and aneurysms, getting a faecal occult blood test for bowel cancer. Although only the last is part of a national screening programme.
If you smoke the chances of that alone getting you by heart disease or smoking related cancers are so high that these other tests may not be worth it.
All controversial but just might save you!
Mr Benjamin J Challacombe
Consultant Urological Surgeon and Honorary Senior Lecturer

http://www.talkhealthpartnership.com/on ... acombe.php

User avatar
Roger Wheelwright
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2016 3:15 pm
Quote

by Roger Wheelwright on Fri Nov 18, 2016 2:30 pm

Re: Is age a factor to be considered?

In addition to my colleagues comments - if African-Caribbean and age 40 years or over then definitely go and speak to your GP about a PSA test. African-Caribbean men are at twice the risk of prostate cancer than white men, and if their is a family history then this doubles the risk.
Roger Wheelwright
Prostate Cancer Nurse Specialist - MSc, PG Dip, PGCE (FE), MISM, RN
http://www.talkhealthpartnership.com/on ... wright.php

Locked
4 posts