PORTLAND, Maine — “I feel totally fine, how could I possibly have cancer?”
I remember saying these words to my doctor. That’s the funny thing about prostate cancer, it can be atypical when it comes to being diagnosed. At least that’s the case for me.
If you Google symptoms of prostate cancer I don’t have most of them. No physical telltale signs of any kind, no family history, prostate exams that have come back normal. The one red flag has been PSA level. It has been under the “acceptable limit” for a person in my age group, but it was creeping closer to the magic number that would require a biopsy just to make sure.
So after watching it for a couple of years, and getting blood drawn every 3-4 months, once I hit the number, I had the biopsy. Bam. Prostate cancer.
Catching it as early as we did thanks to that PSA test and due diligence has left every treatment option available to me. I consider myself blessed and lucky and I’m looking forward to being on the other side of this.
Sharing this story has one simple goal. Men, get your PSA tested. Women, have the men in your life get their PSA tested. When you go for your annual physical they already take a vial of blood and test for cholesterol, hemoglobin, glucose, white blood cells etc. They can use that same vial of blood and run one more test for PSA. It could quite literally save your life.
For more information about prostate cancer, you can visit cancer.org