INNISFAIL - The older a man gets, the higher is his risk for prostate cancer.
Close to 60 men came out to have their PSA (prostate specific antigen) blood levels tested when The Man Van stopped in Innisfail for a one-day clinic on Jan. 19.
“It has been very busy. It’s a bit of a surprise because typically in rural areas we don’t get as big a turnout as in urban centres,” said David Lunn, clinic host with the Calgary-based Prostate Cancer Centre.
“We’re somewhere between 55 and 59 men today. That’s incredible.
“We have been coming here for a few years now and this is absolutely our best turnout,” he added. “To get close to 60 men is marvelous.”
Last year they tested more than 4,500 men across Alberta and Saskatchewan, he noted, adding the high number of men being tested may be due to the message that’s being heard.
“Word is getting out,” he said, pointing to the use of media and social media. “This (number) is really an indication that I think men are more and more aware that we’re available and are making an effort to come out and see us,” explained Lunn.
“I would expect that number might increase because more men are getting tested earlier now,” he said, noting men are advised to be tested between 40 and 80 years of age. “You should have your PSA level tested every five years in your 40s. Once you get to 50, you have it done annually.”
A prostate cancer survivor himself, Lunn noted how important it is for men in Alberta to be checked for prostate cancer regularly.
Statistics state one in seven men in Alberta will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime and about eight men in Alberta will die from prostate cancer every week.
“The important thing is getting an early diagnosis for any type of cancer,” he said.
Symptoms of prostate cancer can include, but are not limited to, blood in the urine and difficulty in passing urine, he said.
There are two vans, a rural man van that visits Innisfail and other rural communities every year, and a smaller urban man van that covers Calgary and outlying areas.
They have been travelling across Alberta and Saskatchewan every year since 2012 and 2009 respectively, to conduct PSA tests on men.
“Those are the only two mobile PSA testing clinics in North America,” said Lunn. “(PSA) is a protein in the blood that is only produced by prostate cells.”
If a man’s PSA level is higher than normal for his age, further testing may be required.
“That doesn’t mean prostate cancer necessarily, but it does mean something’s going on with the growth of the gland and should be investigated further,” said Lunn.
For more information, visit www.prostatecancercentre.ca
