Free prostate cancer screenings offered in February
The McHenry County Department of Health will offer prostate cancer screenings at no cost in February. The Prostate Specific Antigen blood test is being offered to men 50 years of age and older. No fasting is required.
Based on guidelines from the American Urological Association and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, men age 40 and older who are African American or have a higher risk due to family history can also be screened.
The 20-minute screening will also include a heart age analysis and health education. Space is limited.
Appointments can be made online at www.mcdh.info or by phone at (815) 334-4851.
• 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, at Alden-Hebron High School, 9604 Illinois St., Hebron
• 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11, at MCDH Crystal Lake, 100 N. Virginia St.
• 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Feb. 14, at Harvard-Diggins Library, 900 E. McKinley St., Harvard
• 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 25, at MCDH Woodstock, 2200 N. Seminary Ave., Building A
The PSA is one tool in assessing men's overall health. Symptoms can be different for every man - pain or difficulty urinating, frequent urinating, blood in urine, pain in back/hips/pelvis that doesn't go away; some men have no symptoms at all. Early detection allows for early intervention and appropriate treatment.
In Illinois, prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men, exceeded only by lung cancer. According to the National Center for Health Statistics (2008-2010), 59 men in McHenry County died of prostate cancer. The Illinois Cancer Partnership, an Illinois Department of Public Health advisory group, encourages health care providers to promote annual physical exams and routine screenings for all men. In a 2012 report, the Illinois Department of Public Health estimated approximately 9,440 new cases of prostate cancer were projected in Illinois for 2013 and an estimated 1,280 men would die of this disease.
Funding for prostate cancer screenings is provided through a grant from IDPH. For more information about prostate health, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention www.cdc.gov/cancer/prostate/index.htm or call MCDH at (815) 334-4510.