The areas of care that urologists diagnose and treat are vital for health and well-being. Because of that, it may be important for you to get regular screenings by a urologist to catch serious maladies while they are still early. The North Carolina based urology specialists, Associated Urologists of North Carolina are the perfect place to get your screenings done. We have offices in Raleigh, Cary, Wake Forest, Dunn, Clayton, and Clinton so we likely have an office near you.
At a urology office, the most common screenings are cancer screenings for men. Women will get screenings done by the OBGYN for cervical and ovarian cancer, so they generally will not need to come to a urologist for regular screenings of their reproductive system. Men, however, do need screenings for potential cancers in their testicles and prostate. These two cancers are very different and affect different populations of men but urologists have knowledge and experience dealing with both.
Testicular cancer surprisingly is more common among young men (15-35) than older men. It is a cancer with a very good survival rate, but early detection is still key to having the best chance at recovery. Testicular cancer is not very common, so most often men will be examined during a checkup with their general practitioner, if at all. If there are any suspicious lumps on the testicles during a screening, the patient may be referred to a urologist for further examination and testing. Testicular cancer is highly treatable and most fully recover, but surgery may be necessary.
Compared to the rare testicular cancer, prostate cancer is very common in men. It is the most prevalent male cancer, in fact, and second in mortality only to lung cancer. One out of six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Instead of affecting young men like testicular cancer, the risk of prostate cancer seems to increase with age. African American men and older men are both at a much higher risk. Because of the specific risk, African American men are recommended to consult with a doctor at age 45 about starting regular prostate screenings. Most other populations can push these screenings off until 50 years old.
The recent advancements in cancer care are really impressive and the survival rate for both testicular and prostate cancer have greatly improved. Getting screenings as recommended by a urologist can help reduce the risk even more, though. Associated Urologists of North Carolina is an experienced urology practice that would be a great location to get these screenings for residents of Raleigh, Cary, Wake Forest, Clayton, Dunn, and Clinton. Whether you’re a younger man needing a testicular cancer screening or an older man needing a prostate cancer screening, give us a call and we can assist.
