PROSTATE CANCER - THE DEADLY DISEASE THAT ATTACKS MEN OF COLOR AT ALARMING RATE
Know Your Risk. Be Your Own Advocate.
Matt Fish, a 47-year-old Veteran, has an important message for younger men. Know your history and risk factors for prostate cancer: if you’re over age 50, if you’re Black, or have a family history of cancer. Matt adds to that: if you’ve served in the military. And if you’re concerned, talk to your doctor about getting a PSA test. Don’t wait until you’re 50. Be your own advocate.
Matt should know. He was diagnosed with Stage 4 prostate cancer at age 45…..and he’d been getting his PSA checked since age 35. He’s convinced that if he hadn’t had those early tests, he wouldn’t be here today.
A Decade to Diagnosis
As a young man, Matt served in the Marines at Camp Lejeune, NC. Veterans who served at Camp Lejeune from 1953 through 1987 were potentially exposed to water contaminated with dangerous chemicals. Although Matt was there in 1995, outside this window, the VA has been covering his prostate cancer care. Starting at age 35, his VA doctor started checking his PSA annually. Matt didn’t know why, but he figured it was just part of the process. His PSA was high, and “a roller coaster,” bouncing between 5 and 8. (Most men under age 50 have a PSA less than 1.) His digital rectal exam results, and even an ultrasound, were normal. It was chalked up to prostatitis. Matt didn’t want a biopsy, but he made a deal with himself: if his PSA went over 10, he’d do it. A PSA test later came back as 12.
The biopsy showed cancer, Gleason score 7. Looking back, Matt recalls that he had very few symptoms: occasional severe back pain, and, just before the biopsy, problems with ejaculation. That’s why prostate cancer is sometimes called the “silent killer” – men have no symptoms until the disease is advanced.
On Treatment, Life As Normal as Possible
He had surgery to remove his prostate. Further testing of the tissue revealed that the cancer was more aggressive, with a Gleason score of 9. His lymph nodes appeared cancer-free. However, at Matt’s first PSA check after surgery, instead of being undetectable, it was 16. A scan showed one small spot of cancer in his hip: Stage 4. He started medications to lower his testosterone. The treatment is working: his PSA is checked monthly, and it remains virtually zero. The plan is for him to stay on these medicines for a year and have another PET scan. If the spot of cancer on his hip is still there, radiation to that area is a treatment option.
Today, Matt is doing well. His lives with his wife, Penny, and their two children. He stays busy with a full-time job, playing golf, and doing outdoor activities with his family. He prefers to keep his life as normal as possible. He’s got a few side effects from the hormone therapy: brain fog, fatigue, muscle aches – all manageable. The hot flashes are the worst; he keeps a fan nearby.
Stay Busy, Stay Positive
How did Matt cope with all of this? By staying busy. “Working has really helped me,” he says. Just being at home would have destroyed me. I need sense of purpose.” He stays positive, and has a strong support system with family and friends. His wife helps out by reading articles and dealing with paperwork. Matt doesn’t think of it so much as denial, but “I just don’t want it in my face.”
Cancer Is a Family Issue
Matt didn’t have prostate cancer in his family, but there were other cancers on his father’s side, as well as an aunt on his mother’s side who died of breast cancer. Genes (the “instruction manual” of cells) for cancer can run in families. We now know that men may also be at increased risk of prostate cancer if they have a strong family history of other cancers, such as breast, ovarian, colon or pancreatic cancer. And a diagnosis of aggressive prostate cancer at a young age may signal increased risk of other cancers in both male and female family members. Matt has talked with family members about getting genetic testing for inherited cancer risk. (Information from this type of testing can help create a family health plan for prevention and earlier detection.)
Matt’s doctors are also planning to perform biomarker testing on his tumor tissue. These tests of the tumor’s genetic material and proteins may provide information about Matt’s specific type of prostate cancer and guide treatment in the future.
In the meantime, Matt is working to get the message out and raise awareness among men—especially younger men—to get their PSA checked. We’ll be following his story in the coming months...
Genetic Testing for Prostate Cancer
Thanks to research funded by the Prostate Cancer Foundation, we now know that some prostate cancers are caused by changes in your genes. 5%-10% of all cancers are hereditary, meaning that certain cancer-causing gene changes are passed down from mothers and fathers to sons and daughters. Another 10%-20% of all cancers are “familial,” meaning that a type of cancer occurs in multiple family members, but is not directly related to specific gene changes.
Genes are made of DNA, which is the master “instruction manual” that tells every cell in the body which proteins to make – essentially, the information that each cell needs to do its job. A genetic mutation is a change in part of the normal DNA that makes up a gene. Some mutations are hereditary, meaning that they are passed down from one family member to another. Mutations can also be caused after birth by various lifestyle and environmental factors, such as smoking or the UV rays from the sun.
Genetic mutations can be passed down from father to son, father to daughter, mother to son, or mother to daughter. We now know that some of the same gene mutations that cause prostate cancer can also cause other forms of cancer (such as breast, colon, pancreatic, and others) – and vice versa. Therefore, it can be important to consider genetic testing if you have a history of cancer in your family, even if it’s not prostate cancer. This is referred to as genetic testing for an inherited mutation or genetic testing for inherited cancer risk. (You may also hear it called “germline genetic testing.”)
The testing itself is a simple saliva or blood test. It is important to consult your doctor and/or a genetic counselor to discuss the risks and benefits of genetic testing. Keep in mind that the testing you can order online is not a substitute for clinical genetic testing through a physician or genetics professional.
All patients with prostate cancer who have certain characteristics are now encouraged to speak to their physician about whether they may need genetic testing for an inherited mutation. These characteristics include: high risk, regional, or metastatic prostate cancer, Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry, family history of cancer risk gene mutations (e.g., BRCA1, BRCA2), or a strong family history of prostate or other cancers.
There is another important reason to ask your doctor about genetic testing. If you have advanced prostate cancer, the results of genetic testing may also help guide your treatment. Medications called PARP inhibitors (olaparib and rucaparib) are FDA-approved for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer who also have mutations in certain genes that repair damaged DNA.
Screening for Prostate Cancer
Cancer is a frightening possibility, but today’s medical technology has put some powerful screening tools in our hands, and we know: early detection saves lives. The earlier you find out about cancer, the greater the likelihood that it can be successfully treated. For prostate cancer, 99% of men diagnosed at an early stage (local or regional disease) live 5 years or longer after diagnosis.
living with prostate cancer - the aftermath
Before we go into the meat of this book, we will talk about Prostate Cancer, what it is and effective ways to deal with it. Understand that this book is not about how to detect or cure the disease, but it is basically about how it affects the body, and various methods of coping...
I am NOT a medical doctor!
My contribution to the subject of Prostate Cancer, shared by many sources, is mostly based on assessments of information made available to me through my research. My own studies in human services add to the effects of how the administration and application of information become avail-able to the masses, and based on my personal experiences.
Prostate Cancer awareness is needed today to prepare men to effectively care for themselves and to improve their chances of living a long health live with a healthy prostate gland. This book is designed to encourage men, especially African-American, to pay as much attention to their prostate as it is to pay attention to their heart functioning, building body muscles, or exercising daily.
Many of us are on a diabetes control regiment. We watch our starch and sugar intake and drink plenty of water to defend our kidney. We wear comfortable shoes to maintain good balance and protect our feet. We drive on the opposite side of the street to prevent a head-on accident, and we drink water to curb dehydration...
So there are things we can do to assist us in our fight against Prostate Cancer, BUT if we do get it, we will want to know how to cope, which is what this book is about!
White American has tried - and failed! Now we are depending on you!
A great segment of America’s population refuses to accept that the war between the North and the South was over. States like Texas, Virginia, Georgia, Mississippi and Florida held tightly to the beliefs of the Old Confederacy; one day hoping to ‘rise again.’
In as recent as 1998 lynching was still a fearful reality of blacks in the South. A man was dragged to his death with a rope around his neck in Jasper, Texas, 1998. And there were threats of violence, banishing a noose made of rope in an effort to intimidate blacks…
We see a failed government; a reflection of a failed Justice System and a race-baited police force. Congress has become a laughing stock and bias Supreme Court judges walk the isles with contemptuous sneers.
What would motivate a disgraced former president to lead a group of misfits to try overtaking the Nation's most hollowed grounds, the Capitol?
What would motivate a disgraced political organization to consistently oppose and undermine progress for a Nation?
There was once a time when respect was the last barrier between justice and anarchy, now open contempt against elected officials, especially for the man on whose head rests the responsibility of progress. Congressmen and women in the House of Representatives openly defy the Office of the President of the United States; simply because they did not like the color or ethnicity of the person occupying the office. Some even offered to ‘punch him in the face.’
Disgraceful elected officials have publicly proclaimed their concentrated efforts to subvert anything the then African-American President of the United States attempted; persevered good or bad?
Is it even possible for America to rise from its low states of despair with leaders such as some of these in office?
Not even remotely possible.
Black America, we are depending on you!
There MUST be a changing of the guards, and Black America, we are depending on you to orchestrate that change, ushering in the symphony of humanity, unity, dignity and prosperity.
some things are best left buried... in the Plot
Her Apple watch signaled 3:15 in the morning. Francine swiftly threw off the covers and rushed to the bathroom. Brackus would be getting ready about now. She hurriedly washed up, threw some clothes into a knapsack, got her keys from the rack and headed for the door...
As she reached for the door handle, the door flew open, driving her backwards. The back of her legs hit the side of the bed and she toppled over the other side. Two figures in black moved swiftly around the bed, reaching for the fallen woman. Francine David had been attacked before, which is why she was able to react with such instinct. As she toppled across the bed, onto the floor, she lashed out with her booted feet. The heavy dirt boot caught one of the men in the groin, and as he bent over, he blocked the way of his partner, giving the SourceNews reporter time to scramble to her feet. She dashed past the fumbling men in black and rushed through the already open door.
As Francine made her way towards the lobby she opened her mouth, and with a shrilling scream, woke the entire apartment. Doors flew open and people dashed out to see what was the commotion. The two men in black were running out the door when, Bradford Tessa, Francine's neighbor made a flying tackle. The local football star did not take time to assess the situation. He only knew that his friend and neighbor was being chased and he acted. He brought the man in black down, and was able to reach out with a free hand and grasp the other man as he attempted to run past.
Mary Steels, seeing the men in black as adversaries, rushed back into her apartment and grabbed her loaded pistol and raced back into the fray. She pressed the gun to the back of the man in black, whose leg was being held by Brad. The man froze, long enough for Mary to bring the heavy gun down on his skull. He slumped on his face.
Bradford Tessa still talked about how he rolled the man in black over, trapping his arms behind him and removed a loaded pistol from his hip. All his games at the new community sports complex is guaranteed to be sold out, if it is ever built...
Add comment
Comments
Thanks for the complementary ebook. I enjoyed it tremendously...
I love this.
I wrote a story almost similar to this but never publish. Great minds think alike, do you think?
WOW!!!
ORDER YOUR $5.99 eBOOKS hERE!
Your New Ebook(s) Order will be Emailed to you for Instant Reading!
I strongly recommend you download a FREE Copy of
SUMATRAPDF READER.
https://www.sumatrapdfreader.org › download-free-pdf...
Multi-format (PDF, EPUB, MOBI, FB2, CHM, XPS, DjVu) reader for Windows
This is by far, the Best format for your eBooks (better than Kindle eBook Reader - or any other)
It is by far, the Best Ebook Reader available. Better than Kindle ebooks reader!
It's FREE! FREE! FREE!
Enjoy Your New Ebooks!
There are over 18,000 Homeless/Destitute People Seeking Your Help!
MAKE A DONATION NOW!
Vist us at:
heaven did not want them, hell could not keep them...
He reached out and snatched the man by the neck, his fingers closing slowly. Kelly’s eyes bulged as the oxygen gently receded. He pulled the gun from his pocket and pressed it against the big man’s belly. He felt his finger tightened on the trigger.
Click!
The unmistakably sound of the hammer hitting an empty chamber. What the hell, he thought, as he pulled the trigger again.
Click!
Another empty chamber.
“No!” he heard his voice bellowed. He had made sure that the gun was loaded just moments before he came up to Willie’s room. There was no empty chamber. He, himself had injected all six cartridges into the chambers. He had even removed the safety lock, knowing fully well that any sudden jolt might set off the gun. He was prepared to act quick and decisively if the need arises. Like now! He had fired twice without making contact.
He pulled the trigger rapidly several more times, as he felt Willie’s big hands around his neck tightened, but no welcome explosion reached his ears.
Kelly Sanders tasted the blood from his nose, as it flowed into his opened mouth, amidst his broken, rotten teeth, and onto his protruding tongue. Then his eyes drew blank. The last thing he saw was Willie’s face close to his. He was sure that Willie Hearn had no eyes. Only the empty spaces where they were supposed to be....
The dull snap he heard, rather than felt, was his neck yielding to maximum pressure... This was the last life big Willie Hearn was to take.
Add comment
Comments
There IS a heaven and a hell...
Very interesting- even though Heaven is NEVER like this. Yet, this is something we need to consider...
They are their own worse enemies - yet they must never collide...
The United States of America is a great country, and possibly because of its greatness, everything is amplified a thousand times over, including its most negative aspects. America is a God-birthed country, and African-Americans, and black people the world over must not forget that it was from this country that the civil rights movement started...
It is in this country that justice, truth, peace, love, and prosperity is possible. God bless America!
Let’s not destroy it!
Let’s fix it...in spite of...!
Ironically, it is also in this country that conjured the disgust and condemnation of the world when American citizens openly disrespect its leader; the most compassionate elected official this country has ever known; the President of the United States, and Leader of the Free World…
For decades the American society has been one of the most prolific social orders, and the envy of the world. But America has some sins very few cared to talk about; the sins of oppression, the sins of abuse, victimization, hatred and gullibility. Everyone knew about these sins. The British has them, South Africa has them, Germany has them, China has them, North and South Korea has them, India has them, and Russia has them. These are Global sins, yet no one wants to talk about them, that is, until they hit home like a runaway super train…
In the early 60’s, a group of community leaders got together and decided that it was time to take action against these aged-old problems. They were not going to take it any longer. They were through suffering in silence.
Enter the Civil Rights Movement in America’s Deep South. Led by a pastor by the name of the Reverend Martin Luther King, people took to the streets in protest to demeaning living, housing and working conditions in the South. Of course, the oppositions were there with dogs, batons, tear gas, water cannons, guns and deep hatred. American was faced with an impending civil war… but an interesting thing happened on the way to the riots…
Add comment
Comments
This is awesome . Keep it going
WOW!!!
I can see that you are indeed a pissed-off black man, but I am an angry white male and don't give a fuck how you feel about me. I will always be here to piss you off!
I am a Pissed-off Black man and can relate to your story. America is on a downward spiral and we must put it back on course, through whatever means necessary!
is the south rising again?
It was a cloudy morning, not like yesterday when the sun casts its golden rays across the wide field, enveloping the area like an extra layer of sheet. Yesterday was different. The skies barely peeked through the heavy fog, making it difficult to distinguish between the barns and the little thatch houses which dotted the plains like a spotted blanket.
I did not care too much for mornings like this. My mother would burden me with layers of clothing, even though within the next few hours the temperature would blast forward - and up to 110 degrees.
My family; my mother, my dad and a few cousins and nieces lived in a little house just across the field where the owner lives. My mother would go to the 'big house' every day to do housework while my father would tend to the cotton crops and livestock owned by the farmer; one of the biggest and most influential in the valley.
My name is Aluscious, and was barely 6 years old when my life began to change. I never knew why I was given that name. It was hard to pronounce, and even harder to spell, if I even knew then how to read or spell anything. It would be years later that I finally got it changed to Marcus. I learned about the Jamaican civil rights leader, Marcus Garvey, and loved the aura it conjures.
In my younger years I used to roam the fields, oblivious of the workers as they plant, reap and stored vast amount of cotton and other provisions to be taken away in carts and trailers to somewhere I never knew. Now I was required to accompany my siblings in the fields to help gather the crops. Being the youngest, I was allowed to basically walk along, not doing much, but is still required to 'walk the fields.'
It was during a hot summer day when I began to notice the restless spirits of the workers in the fields. Somethings had changed over the past weeks, and there were much standing around in groups talking quietly among themselves. I also noticed that whenever one of the 'bosses' came along, the group would disperse; only reconvened when the 'boss' leaves. There were sporadic visits by the town sheriffs and other armed men from the town. During such visits, my mother would immediately take me to one of the barns and shut me inside. The barns were not particularly made to enclose much because there were boards and areas of the sides missing, and to me, it was no different from being outside, but it seem to give my mother some sort of comfort; knowing I was 'inside.'
Add comment
Comments
My brother survived Prostate Cancer and is also telling his story of survival. We found your story riveting and valuable, especially to family members of those who are going through the aftereffects. Good work!
can a good person do a bad thing? can a bad person do a good thing?
A person who is described as being ‘good’ is actually a person who had done something ‘good.’ We can see here that the transition from being a bad person to be a good person is the act of doing ‘good.’ This is why we can be very good today, and then be very bad tomorrow, the difference being what we did; a ‘good’ deed or ‘bad’ deed. This character trait changes as we make choices that govern our activities, and those of others.
We can be a good person, or a bad person.
It is a matter of choice…
‘Good’ is an acquired characteristic, though not permanent, but one of emotional convenience and subjection. That is, we act on a concentrated desire to do a good deed. We think about it and did it, instantly or eventually. Sometimes the deed is done hours, days, months, even years after we were ‘moved’ by the desire. We are walking down the street and encountered a lost child. We are ‘emotionally’ moved to act; take the child to safety, return him or her to his or her parents, alert the proper authorities, etc.
We acted immediately.
Can we be a GOOD PERSON without being Religious?
Can a Good Person Do A Bad Thing?
Can A Bad Person do a Good Thing?
We can be a good person, or a bad person.
It is a matter of choice…
Get a Copy of this Fantastic eBook at ebooksGalore.Info
Add comment
Comments
Very interesting...
Religious etiquette?
Good read!
Thank you for your rather exciting and informative ebook. My husband has not yet read it but I will insist he do...
Good material
Thanks for the heads-up. One can only be as good as they want to be. I concur!
I though I was a good guy until I read your book... Now I am SURE I will be even gooder. Thanks for the motivation
Add comment
Comments
Our time is here...
Black man, be prepared - You are a chosen one...
I ordered your Plot ebook and cannot put it down. It's very interesting.
Keep creating...