I am 36, with family history of prostate cancer. What to do?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a 36-year-old male, and I have not faced any major health issues. I am a little worried, as I have a family history of prostate cancer, but I have not undergone any kind of screening tests to check if I have any signs of it.

Can you please tell me what the initial signs of prostate cancer are?
Is there any way to find it early?
What screening tests are to be done, and what is the frequency of these tests?
What are the risk factors that I should be aware of?

It would be very helpful if you could explain in detail how to understand the disease and the importance of screening.

Please help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Thank you for reaching out.

I can understand your concern.

Prostate cancer is a common cancer in men that starts in the prostate gland, a small organ below the bladder. The treatment depends on the stage of the disease, biopsy results, and the molecular profile.

There is nothing to worry about. Usually, in your age group, stage 4 prostate cancer is extremely rare. You should enroll in a prostate cancer screening clinic with a urologist after you reach 40 years of age or older. They will ask for a simple blood test for PSA (prostate-specific antigen) and may perform a DRE (digital rectal exam) as a clinical examination. Also, they may refer you for genetic counseling, and genetic testing can be done.

Inherited variants in particular genes, such as BRCA1 (breast cancer 1), BRCA2 (breast cancer 2), and HOXB13 (homeobox B13), account for some cases of hereditary prostate cancer. Men with variants in these genes have a high risk of developing prostate cancer.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.