Don MacNeill
Capital Health Announces Free Prostate Cancer Screenings
TRENTON, NJ (September 1, 2009) – Early detection and cancer screenings can save lives. Capital Health, the only hospital in central New Jersey that offers all prostate cancer treatment options is once again offering free prostate cancer screenings that will help save the lives of its neighbors.
Residents across Mercer and Bucks counties can call Capital Health (1-800-255-3440) or visit www.freehealthscreenings.capitalhealth.org to schedule a free screening. Capital Health encourages all men over the age of 50 to be screened for prostate cancer, a significant health concern for men as they age. The screenings will be available at Capital Health locations in Hamilton and Trenton.
More than 300 men were screened last fall during Capital Health’s first free prostate screening program. Of those, 14% had abnormal results that required follow-up.
“Last year’s overwhelming turnout for free screenings convinced us of the need to provide screenings again this year. We are pleased to provide men in our community with the opportunity to schedule what could be the most important screening of their lives,” said Al Maghazehe, president and CEO of Capital Health.
One in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer throughout his lifetime. According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the most common form of non-skin cancer in the United States and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in American men. It is estimated that more than 186,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2008. Early diagnosis provides more options and better outcomes for men with prostate cancer.
Screenings should begin with an annual digital rectal exam and a simple blood test called PSA (prostate specific antigen) at age 50 for all men, and age 45 for African American men and for men at higher risk. Research shows that more than nine out of ten prostate cancers are found in the local and regional stages; which signifies that the cancer is either confined to the prostate gland or has spread from the prostate to nearby areas. A family history of prostate cancer, ethnicity and diet, among other factors, can increase the chances of encountering this disease. If a man is diagnosed with prostate cancer, there are a number of treatment options available to him, all of which he can receive at Capital Health.
In addition to radiation therapy, brachytherapy, IMRT and cryotherapy, Capital Health is the only area hospital to offer state-of-the-art CyberKnife® radiosurgery, the world’s most accurate radiosurgery device that allows physicians to treat tumors and lesions in the brain, spine, lung, pancreas, liver and prostate with submillimeter accuracy. Used as a noninvasive alternative to conventional surgery in cancer patients as well as other medical conditions, CyberKnife ensures the most accurate targeting of tumors; allowing for less trauma to healthy tissue and quicker recovery time for patients.
Capital Health also is also home to the first da Vinci® Surgical System in Mercer County. The da Vinci offers patients minimally invasive surgery with substantially less pain, less blood loss, a much shorter recovery time and minimal hospital stay. The da Vinci is currently used for prostate cancer treatment, as well as gynecological procedures such as hysterectomy, myomectomy (for uterine fibroids) and tubal reversal surgery, which reverse the effects of female sterilization. Capital Health is the only area hospital to offer this advanced technology for treatment of prostate cancer.
