Release #364-00

 

Contact:	Sunny Mindel/Lynn Rasic (212) 788-2958
	Anna Marengo (American Cancer Society) (212) 237-3809

Urges Men Above 50 to Seek Prostate Screenings Annually

Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani today declared September as "Prostate Cancer Awareness Month" and urged men 50 years and older to discuss annual prostate screenings during their yearly visit to their health care provider. Joining the Mayor at today's City Hall ceremony were two of his physicians, Drs. Richard Stock and Alexander Kirschenbaum.

Accepting the proclamation from the Mayor was William Schofield, New York City Regional Director of the American Cancer Society. Also present for the ceremony from the American Cancer Society were Regional Advocacy Director David Lehman, Director of NYC Prostate Cancer Programs Abigail Crisp, Advisor Ethan Geto, Director of Brooklyn Prostate Cancer Programs Russell Michael, prostate cancer survivor and volunteer Nick Navarino, and Primary Care Physician Educator for Prostate Cancer Michelle La Mothe, MD, MPH.

"American Cancer Society statistics predict that in the year 2000, an estimated 180,400 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S., 11,800 in New York State alone," Mayor Giuliani said. "As you know, I was one of those cases. The good news is that prostate cancer has a relative recovery rate of 100 percent, if detected and treated early. Awareness and understanding of prostate cancer is crucial to help men lower their risk of developing cancer, as well as make informed decisions about treatment options."

"There is a definite need to make men and their families more aware of prostate cancer," William Schofield said. "This is not a one person disease. It affects husbands, wives, friends and whole families. We offer people the chance to become educated about prostate cancer by putting them in touch with the most reliable source of cancer information in the country through 1-800-ACS-2345 and our website www.cancer.org, both available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week."

In the United States a man is diagnosed with prostate cancer every two minutes. Every fifteen minutes an American man dies from this disease and in the next twenty-four hours prostate cancer will claim the lives of more than one hundred fathers, husbands and sons. However, the five-year survival rate for men treated for localized prostate cancer (cancer that has not spread beyond the prostate gland) is 100 percent. This dramatic figure highlights the importance of early detection.

The American Cancer Society recommends that the prostate specific antigen (PSA) test and digital rectal exam (DRE) should be offered annually beginning at age 50. Men at high risk should begin testing at age 45.

For more information, visit the American Cancer Society website, www.cancer.org.

www.nyc.gov