Prostate Cancer Risk

This quiz is not meant to take the place of a regular medical visit or a complete physical screening, but to give you a general idea about your risk for, or symptoms of, prostate cancer. For a physician on staff at MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital, please call our physician referral service at 443-444-4100.

I. Should you be screened for prostate cancer?
Routine screening is the key to early detection. Answer true or false to the following statements.

• I am a man age 50 and older, and I have not been screened for prostate cancer in the last 12 months.
• I am a man under age 50, I have not been screened in the last 12 months, and I am African American.
• I am a man under age 50, I have not been screened in the last 12 months, and I have a family history of prostate cancer.

If you answered “true” to one or more of the above questions, you should be screened for prostate cancer now. Call 443-444-4100 today to schedule a low-cost screening with our nurse practitioner.

II. Are you at risk for developing prostate cancer?
The questions below represent common questions asked by a medical provider about your general health.

• Are you over the age of 50?
  IF YES: After age 50, the chance for developing prostate cancer begins to increase. More than 70% of all prostate cancers occur in men 65 and older.
• Are you African American?
  IF YES: Prostate cancer is twice as prevalent among African American males as it is among their white American counterparts.
• Do you eat a high fat diet? (5 or more servings per day of food with animal fat)
  IF YES: Most studies show that men who eat a high fat diet have an increased chance of developing prostate cancer. Some research has also shown that men who eat higher fat diets tend to eat less fruits and vegetables and more dairy products. These factors may also play a part in the development of prostate cancer.
• Are you maintaining a healthy weight and exercising?
  IF YES: Maintaining a healthy weight along with regular physical activity may reduce the risk of prostate cancer.
• Do you have a family history of prostate cancer?
  IF YES: Prostate cancer appears to have a genetic link. Having a father or brother with the disease doubles the man's risk of developing it. The risk increases if several relatives have been affected.
• Have you had a vasectomy?
  IF YES: Men who have undergone vasectomy (surgical procedure that renders them sterile) may have an increased risk of getting prostate cancer, according to some studies.

III. Do you have symptoms of prostate cancer?
In its earliest stages, prostate cancer may have no recognizable symptoms. As the cancer progresses, symptoms will begin to appear. Have you experienced any of these symptoms?

• Difficulty urinating.
• Need to urinate more often than is normal for you.
• Blood in your urine - also called hematuria.
• Impotence – difficulty having an erection.
• Pain in your pelvic bone, spine, hips or ribs.

If you answered “yes” to any of these symptoms, you should consult a medical provider immediately. These symptoms can also be indicative of other medical problems.

Call 443-444-4100 to schedule a low-cost prostate cancer screening evaluation with our nurse practitioner.

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