Preview of the Prostate Cancer Podcast

[00:00:00] When you hear that word cancer, it is alarming. Even when they tell you it's curable and all the kind of stuff it's like, wow I actually have cancer. Thanks for listening to this preview of the Prostate Cancer Podcast Part of the Health Unmuted Audio Library by Mission-based Media. One in 8 men will be diagnosed with Prostate Cancer in his lifetime. So in each episode of this podcast we hear from medical experts, caregivers, and people who have had Prostate Cancer to engage, educate, and empower listening.

[00:00:30] To learn more about how you can be involved, visit healthunmuted.com or drop us a line at infoathealthunmuted.com

[00:00:39] We know that there's approximately 200 to 250,000 men a year diagnosed with Prostate Cancer.

[00:00:46] The Prostate Glend plays an important part in male fertility and reproduction. Aside from skin cancer, Prostate Cancer is the most common cancer affecting men.

[00:00:56] All men are at risk for Prostate Cancer. However, there are some selective groups that are at the higher risk.

[00:01:03] We don't know exactly what causes Prostate Cancer, but we talk about what it is and risk factors in episode 1.

[00:01:11] As we get older, our risk for cancer increases. And then another risk factor for Prostate Cancer specifically is African ancestry.

[00:01:19] There are some places where Black women are almost twice as likely to be diagnosed and then over two and a half times likely to die.

[00:01:27] And so I think the disparities that we talk about are definitely by race, but they're also by place.

[00:01:33] Early diagnosis is key to improving treatment outcomes.

[00:01:36] For the early diagnosis of Prostate Cancer is very important so that we can identify disease in its earliest form which is treatable and curable before it has metastasized.

[00:01:49] Prostate Cancer has almost a 100% survival if caught early.

[00:01:54] And so whereas the general guidelines are that at age 50 men should start having that conversation with their healthcare provider around PSA testing for Black men, it is at age 40.

[00:02:06] In episode 2 we dive into diagnostic tests, including biopsies.

[00:02:11] They go up you and take tissue samples from your Prostate. And you're awake, and I will say that it's not something I'd want to do every day but it wasn't as bad as I thought.

[00:02:24] And we talk about how people and their loved ones can cope with the shock of diagnosis and figure out what their next step should be.

[00:02:32] My suggestion would be to anybody who's been diagnosed with Prostate Cancer is talk to your doctor, see what they recommend. There's a lot of different options.

[00:02:41] There's a variety of different Prostate Cancer grades and stages that determine if one requires treatment and if they do require treatment which treatment would be best for them.

[00:02:52] We dive into treatment options in later episodes.

[00:02:56] They suggested me getting it out as opposed to doing any kind of radiation treatment and just knowing myself I wanted it out.

[00:03:04] And we hear from cancer survivors and their partners about how they navigated recovery issues including changes in sexual performance.

[00:03:12] As a man you're like trying to think all these things that get back into your game and my wife was just patient and she was like your body's going to heal, just give it time.

[00:03:21] Most women that I talk to were like I'd rather have my husband or my spouse alive and if things aren't 100% we will figure that out. There's many different ways to have intimacy with your partner.

[00:03:35] It can be uncomfortable, difficult and even embarrassing to talk about Prostate Cancer. So throughout this series we share personal stories, expert advice and lots of resources to empower other men and their loved ones on their own cancer journeys.

[00:03:49] It's important that you aren't alone, that you have a trusted either family member or friend that will help you navigate this process.

[00:03:58] We as men are the worst about going to doctors. It is absolutely one of the most curable cancers in men. We must be our own advocates. It's really really important.