Tribune staff reports

The Don and Dana Myers Cancer Center in Seymour will conduct prostate cancer screening tests from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Sept. 22.

Prostate cancer strikes one in six American men and is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths among men, according to a news release from the center. The National Cancer Institute says more than 220,000 new cases of prostate cancer will be reported in the United States this year.

If the cancer is found before it has spread outside the prostate, the five-year relative survival rate is 100 percent. If the cancer has spread to tissues near the prostate, the survival rate is 94 percent, making early detection critical.

The American Urological Association recommends a baseline screening be considered in all men at the age of 40. If significant risk factors, such as a strong family history or African-American race, are present, then screening should be considered on a regular basis after that.

A man will be eligible for an early detection screening test, which includes prostate specific antigen blood test and a digital rectal examination, if he is between 55 and 70 years of age and has not had a PSA blood test or DRE within the past 12 months.

“We want to encourage men in our communities to take advantage of this screening,” said Sally Acton, director of Cancer and Pain Services at Schneck Medical Center in Seymour.

You must have a scheduled appointment to participate in the screening, and time slots are limited. The cost for the PSA is $26, payable by cash or check at the time of the test. The screening test is for men who do not regularly have prostate exams and are not intended to be a replacement or substitution for regular visits to a physician. The American Cancer Society advises to discuss the benefits as well as the harms of PSA screening with your doctor, then decide for yourself if you should be screened.

To schedule a screening, call the center at 812-522-0477 and leave your name and phone number, and your call will be returned promptly.