September Ends. Prostate Cancer Awareness must not

GREAT BAY--Throughout Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, The People’s Tribune has used this series to encourage men to learn more about the disease, understand their individual risk, talk to their doctors and, where appropriate, get tested. We have looked at warning signs, PSA testing, what elevated PSA results can mean, why some men face greater risk, what happens when further investigation is needed and why men should feel comfortable adding their voices to awareness efforts.

The month has given us a reason to concentrate attention on prostate cancer. It should not give us an excuse to forget about it when October begins.

Cancer does not follow an awareness calendar. A man who turns 45 in November does not become less important because September has passed. A father who learns in December that prostate cancer runs in his family should not wait until the following September to speak with his doctor. A man who has been putting off a PSA discussion for months should not tell himself that he missed the awareness campaign and will deal with it next year.

Awareness is only effective if it eventually leads to action.

For some men, that action may simply be learning about their family history. For another, it may mean scheduling a medical examination. For someone else, it could mean finally asking a doctor whether PSA testing is appropriate based on his age, family history and other risk factors.

The PSA test is a simple blood test that measures prostate-specific antigen in the blood. It does not diagnose prostate cancer on its own, and an elevated result does not automatically mean cancer is present. Other conditions, including an enlarged prostate or inflammation, can affect PSA levels. But the test can provide information that helps a doctor decide whether additional evaluation is needed.

That is why the message should never be reduced to simply, “Go get a PSA test.”

The better message is: know your risk, talk to your doctor and make an informed decision about screening.

For Black men and men with a strong family history of prostate cancer, that conversation can be especially important. Family history is something men should talk about openly with fathers, brothers, sons, uncles and other relatives. Too often families know that someone “had cancer” without knowing what type, how old the person was when diagnosed or whether several relatives were affected.

One of the simplest things men can do after this awareness month is start asking questions within their own families. Did my father have prostate cancer? Did my grandfather? What about my brothers or uncles? At what age were they diagnosed?

Those conversations cost nothing, but they can provide information that helps a doctor assess risk.

We also need to continue challenging the silence surrounding men's health.

One of the themes that emerged during this series is that prostate cancer is not always easy for men to discuss. The disease touches subjects many men consider deeply personal, including urinary problems, sexual function, medical examinations and fears about aging. That discomfort can create silence, and silence can become another barrier between a man and medical care.

Supporting prostate cancer awareness does not require anyone to reveal private medical information. A man does not have to disclose his PSA number, tell people whether he has undergone a biopsy or publicly discuss treatment.

But he can encourage another man to take his health seriously.

He can tell a friend, “Talk to your doctor.”

He can remind his brother that their father had prostate cancer.

He can encourage an older relative who keeps postponing an appointment.

He can participate in an awareness event, share reliable health information or simply make prostate health something men can discuss without embarrassment.

That effort should continue long after the blue ribbons and September awareness graphics disappear from social media.

Healthcare institutions, community organizations, employers and Government also have roles to play. Screening opportunities and men's health initiatives should not be limited to one period of the year. Information about prostate health should be available wherever men already are, including workplaces, sports organizations, churches, community groups and social events.

The goal should be to make preventive healthcare part of normal life.

Men should know where they can seek information. They should understand when they should begin discussing screening. They should have access to healthcare professionals who can explain the benefits and limitations of testing. And when an abnormal result is found, they should understand the importance of completing the recommended follow-up rather than disappearing because of fear.

Getting the blood test is not the finish line.

If a PSA result comes back elevated, the next appointment matters. If the doctor recommends repeating the test, that matters. If further examination, imaging or a specialist consultation is advised, following through matters.

Testing without follow-up cannot provide the protection men sometimes assume they have simply because they participated in a screening event.

As this series closes, perhaps the most important message is also the simplest: do not wait for September to care about your prostate.

Put the conversation on your personal calendar. Ask your doctor questions. Learn your family history. Pay attention to changes in your body. Encourage the men around you to do the same.

And if September helped convince you to get tested, do not allow October to convince you that the issue has passed.

Prostate Cancer Awareness Month ends.

The responsibility to look after our health does not.

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