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Montefiore News Releases

June 15, 2012

Help Protect the Men in Your Life from Prostate Cancer  

New York City, NY (June 15, 2012) -- Father’s Day is an opportunity to think about the men we know and help ensure that they live long, healthy lives.  The key to living a productive, healthy life is prevention of disease, including the prevention of prostate cancer, the second-leading cause of cancer death among men.

According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 241,700 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed this year nationwide. In the Bronx, the disease is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths and African American men are particularly vulnerable.

During the week after Father’s Day, the Montefiore Einstein Center for Cancer Care will offer free prostate cancer screenings for men 40 and over. The free screenings will be held in conjunction with a citywide prostate screening and education campaign sponsored annually by the New York Daily News. The dates and locations of the Montefiore screenings are:

  • 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. on Monday, June 18 at the Montefiore Einstein Center for Cancer Care, 1521 Jarrett Place, 1st Floor
  • 3-6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 19 at Montefiore’s North Campus, 600 East 233rd Street, 6th Floor (Oncology)
  • 4-7 p.m. on Thursday, June 21 at Montefiore Medical Park, 1695 Eastchester Road, 1st Floor
  • 2-5 p.m. on Friday, June 22 at Montefiore’s Moses Campus, 111 East 210th Street, 1st Floor (Ambulatory Oncology)

Watch for screening applications in the Daily News. For more information about the screenings at Montefiore, please call the Office of Community Relations, (718) 920-7744  or visit http://www.montefiore.org/cancer-events.

Early Detection is Critical

For men, a physical exam to check for an abnormal feeling or nodular enlarged prostate, and a blood test called Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test, which measures the blood levels of a protein produced by the prostate gland, may be recommended.  A PSA test can help detect prostate cancer before the disease advances. In 2009, the American Urological Association suggested that physicians offer the test to men as young as 40 along with a discussion on the risks and benefits of screening and early detection. 

“There is certainly less debate on the benefits of early detection for men in high risk groups such as those with a family history of prostate cancer, as well as African-American and Hispanic men,” said Reza Ghavamian, MD, Interim Chairman, Department of Urology, and Director of Urologic Oncology and Robotic Urologic Surgery at Montefiore.  

In the event of a prostate cancer diagnosis, the Prostate Cancer Program at the

Montefiore Einstein Center for Cancer Care, led by Dr. Ghavamian, offers a range of innovative and minimally invasive procedures to treat all stages of prostate cancer while retaining quality of life. A multidisciplinary team includes surgeons and physicians who are pioneers in robotic and open radical prostatectomy, brachytherapy or prostate seed implantation, intensity-modulated radiation therapy and managing high-risk prostate cancer patients.     

“Our team works collaboratively to provide individualized, timely and compassionate care. We are focused on treating prostate cancer, optimizing patient outcomes and  preserving the patient’s quality of life,” said Dr. Ghavamian.

For more information, visit http://www.montefiore.org/urology-diseases-conditions-cancer. To make an appointment with a urologist, please call 718-862-8840.

SIDEBAR: Know the Signs of Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer does not typically cause any symptoms during early, or even later, stages. As the disease advances, symptoms can include:

  • Difficulty urinating or decreased force of urine;
  • Blood in the urine and/or semen;
  • Pain or discomfort in the pelvic area;
  • Swelling in the legs; and
  • Bone pain