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Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Marc A. Jerome is urging men over 40 years old to make it a practice of getting annual checkups for early detection of prostate cancer.
“All males 40 and older should take this matter seriously and get yearly checkups
for Prostate Cancer,” said Dr. Jerome, who is also the District Health Officer for the V.I Department of Health. “They should see their healthcare provider yearly and take advantage of free screenings when offered by private or public agencies.”
September is National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month and according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Prostate Cancer is the second cause of cancer-related deaths among men nationwide with over 200, 000 new cases diagnosed in 2007, the most recent year for which data is available. Data recorded for the same year by the CDC show that some 29,000 men died from the disease.
Governor John P. de Jongh Jr., in issuing a Proclamation in observance of Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, noted that prostate cancer “devastates families through loss of income, partnership and support.
“Research suggests that men could reduce their risk of prostate cancer if they followed recommended prostate screening guidelines, including getting annual checkups,” de Jongh said in the Proclamation.
Increased awareness and use of early detection practices are essential to detecting and controlling prostate cancer, he said.
Residents can learn more about the disease by visiting www.healthvi.org or
www.cdc.gov/cancer/prostate |
