Performing a Prostate Exam

Dr. Lisa Masterson: Dr. Ordon is backstage getting a prostate ultrasound with urologist Dr. Jennifer Berman. While they finish getting ready, Dr. Sears and Dr. Mike, as men how important is a prostate exam? Dr. Jim Sears: This is very, very important, because prostate cancer is pretty common. Actually, it affects about one in seven men, and if it's a slow growing tumor, if you wait until you get symptoms to do anything, it's too late. Dr. Mike: These things are preventative and you can't stress enough how important it is to be early. Dr. Jim Sears: Early detection for all kinds of cancer. We would cut the cancer rate down dramatically if we just got all our regular exams, annual exams, the pap smears, the mammograms, all that stuff we would do, take a bite out of cancer. D. Mike: Okay, Dr. Orden, how are you doing back there? Dr. Andrew Ordon: We have lift off. I didn't get any Barry White music. Dr. Jennifer Berman: We are looking at his prostate. He does have some cysts in his prostate which are fluid filled masses. He also has some calcifications like we get, us, women, in the breast, because he has prostatitis in the past. His seminal vesicles look good. They are not swollen and enlarged. Dr. Lisa Masterson: Dr. Jen, who needs to be tested and how often? Dr. Jennifer Berman: Men over the age of 50, Caucasian men over the age of 50 need to be tested annually with a digital rectal exam and a PSA. This ultrasound that I am doing is reserved when the PSA is abnormal, or the digital rectal exam is abnormal, or the PSA is rising too quickly over a time. Drew has a history of a high PSA and a history of prostatitis, and when I did the exam on him, his prostate felt a little bit boggy, meaning soggy, and it was difficult to assess the entire gland. So this is why we did the ultrasound and we got more information with the ultrasound. Dr. Lisa Masterson: So Jen, should he be concerned at all or what's his next step? Dr. Jennifer Berman: His next step, I took some pictures that he is going to take to his regular urologist. Dr. Andrew Ordon: From now on, you are my urologist. Dr. Jennifer Berman: He is switching to me, okay. What I would do is continue to follow him and if there are any changes with regard to that cystic structure or the calcifications or the size or his PSA, I would do a biopsy. Dr. Jim Sears: Hey Jen! You said Caucasian men at age 50, but what about African-American men? Isn't it earlier? Dr. Jennifer Berman: African-American men are at higher risk for prostate cancer and they need to start screening at the age or 40. Mr. Mike: Or those with a family history as well. Dr. Lisa Masterson: Jen, just don't hurt his brains down there, okay. Great job Drew, great job Drew. Dr. Andrew Ordon: You know how large that is. Dr. Lisa Masterson: Thanks for showing everyone watching how important it is to have a prostrate exam.