WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF PROSTATE CANCER? M U

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF
PROSTATE CANCER?
Often, there are NO symptoms in the
early stages of prostate cancer. If
symptoms DO occur, they can vary,
depending on the size and exact location of the cancer in the prostate.
Consult a doctor if you have any of the
following symptoms:
• weak or interrupted urine flow
• pain while urinating
• painful ejaculation
• blood in the urine or semen or
 a nagging pain in the back, hips or
pelvis
WHAT TYPE OF EXAM IS USED TO
DETECT PROSTATE CANCER?
Prostate screening is quick and
simple:

DRE (Digital Rectal Exam) Allows
the doctor to feel the prostate and
detect lumps or unusually firm
areas on the prostate.

PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) is
a blood test that measures the
level of PSA in your blood. Higher
levels of PSA may mean cancer is
present.
For more information please call:
Office of Cancer Health
Disparities Research at
Roswell Park Cancer Institute
(716) 845-4557
“MAN UP”
(Minorities Allied for the Need to
Understand & Prevent Prostate
Cancer)
MAN UP is a prostate cancer advocacy group that was formed in Buffalo, New York in 2008.
MAN UP is a volunteer organization
that is comprised of AfricanAmerican & Latino prostate cancer
survivors and supporters who live in
Western New York.
What African-American
Men
Need to Know
MAN UP serves men of color by providing them with educational resources to help them make informed
decisions on issues related to prostate cancer screening & early detection, prostate cancer treatment, and
survivorship.
The members of MAN UP have collaborated with prostate cancer experts at the world-renowned Roswell
Park Cancer Institute on programs &
initiatives designed to educate minority men about prostate cancer
throughout Western New York.
For more information about MAN
UP, including information on coordinating prostate cancer awareness
presentations for your organization,
call (716) 845-4557 or (716) 8451112.
This brochure was designed
by men who comprise the
“MAN UP” Advocates Committee
African-American men have the highest rate of prostate cancer.
WHAT IS PROSTATE CANCER?
WHAT ARE THE RISK FACTORS?
The prostate gland is located under
the bladder and forms a donut-like
collar around the urine channel
(urethra).
While the exact causes of prostate cancer are not known, the following factors
increase a person’s chance of getting
prostate cancer.
Cancer is abnormal cell growth that
can occur in any part of the body.
Normal, healthy cells grow, divide
and replace themselves to maintain
the natural order of living.
 Getting older is the greatest risk
factor for prostate cancer. Prostate
cancer testing for African American
men should start at age 45
Prostate cancer occurs when cancer cells form in the tissues of the
prostate. It is the most common
cancer in American men after skin
cancer. Prostate cancer usually
starts in the outer part of the gland,
so the doctor may be able to feel it
during a rectal examination.
Prostate cells produce a protein
called prostate-specific antigen or
PSA. When cancer develops, PSA
may leak into your blood and raise
the suspicion of prostate cancer before a lump can be felt. The PSA
blood test, developed at Roswell
Park, has allowed most prostate
cancers to be found before they
cause symptoms and before there
is any spread.
 Race - African-American men have
the highest rate of prostate cancer.
It is less common in Hispanic,
Asian, Pacific Islander, and Native
American men than in white men.
 Family history also plays a role. If
a man’s father or brother had prostate cancer, his chances of getting
cancer are greater.
 Diet- Men who eat large amounts of
red meat may have a greater
chance of getting prostate cancer.
Some studies have shown that men
who eat more fruits and vegetables
have a lower risk of prostate cancer.
HIGH RISK/EARLY DETECTION
PROSTATE CANCER CLINIC
Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI)
offers a High Risk/Early Detection
Clinic for men with elevated PSAs who
would like an RPCI specialist to evaluate their test results and recommend
next steps.
Because an elevated PSA level is not
necessarily an indicator of cancer, it is
important to get a second opinion and
not rush into unnecessary treatments.
Men should have a conversation with
their primary care physicians about
prostate cancer, and if necessary, have
their doctor perform the appropriate
screening tests first, before seeking an
opinion from RPCI.
If you wish to schedule an appointment, you may call 1-800-ROSWELL
(1-800-767-9355) and speak to a referral representative.
The High Risk/Early Detection
Prostate Cancer Clinic is located at
the Roswell Park Amherst Center at
100 College Parkway, Suite 290 in
Williamsville, New
York.