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According to the PCEC’s recent 2007 Prostate Cancer Education Week (PCAW) report, 61 percent of men know “a little” and 20 percent know nothing about prostate health. Staggering statistics considering American men face a one in six lifetime risk of developing prostate cancer.
“There is still much to be done in terms of public education on prostate health,” said Wendy Poage, Executive Director, Prostate Cancer Education Council. “There are approximately 64.3 million fathers in America, making Father’s Day a prime opportunity to start this live-saving conversation.”
Colin Powell, a father of three and prostate cancer survivor, is a spokesman of the PCEC and the Father’s Day Awareness Campaign. In a radio public service announcement, Powell encourages screenings and teaches fellow fathers about early detection and risk factors.
“I personally have battled prostate cancer and won,” Powell states. “Early detection is the best weapon we have against this silent killer.”
Given the important role screening plays in early detection, a new molecular biomarker for PCA3 was introduced during the 2007 PCAW screening program. “The PCEC is currently evaluating its role in early detection, watching how it performs with and without PSA and other tests,” said Dr. David Crawford, Chair, Prostate Cancer Education Council.
Gen-Probe Incorporated is a national sponsor of the PCEC’s Father’s Day Awareness Campaign and sells PCA3 ASRs (Analyte Specific Reagents) to several highly specialized laboratories across the U.S. (i.e., labs which are CLIA certified for high complexity clinical testing).
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer, other than skin cancers, in American men. Estimates for 2008 indicate that more than 186,000 men will be diagnosed in the United States, and nearly 28,700 will die from the disease. African American men are twice as likely to get prostate cancer and twice as likely to die from the disease. The second leading cause of cancer death in American men, behind only lung cancer, prostate cancer is often treatable if detected early.
About the Prostate Cancer Education Council
A national organization committed to men’s health, the Prostate Cancer Education Council (PCEC) is dedicated to saving lives through awareness and the education of men, the women in their lives, as well as the medical community about prostate cancer prevalence, the importance of early detection, and available treatment options, as well as other men’s health issues. The Council - comprised of a consortium of leading physicians, health educators, scientists and prostate cancer advocates - aims to conduct nation wide screenings for men and perform research that will aid in the detection and treatment of prostate cancer.
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