The Problem Men Don't Like to Talk About

Raena Morgan: Hi! I'm Raena Morgan with iHealthTube. We're visiting today with Dr. Aaron Katz who wrote the 'Prostate Health' book. He is the associate professor of clinical urology; the Director for The Center for Holistic Urology at Columbia University. We're going to talk about prostate health. The problem that men don't like to talk about, right Dr. Katz? Dr. Aaron Katz: That's correct. It affects many men. Raena Morgan: Well, Welcome. Dr. Aaron Katz: Thank you very much. Raena Morgan: In your book, you say that prostate cancer is as prevalent as breast cancer. But it's not talked about as much, the general public is not aware of it as much, is that correct? Dr. Aaron Katz: I think that is correct. Although right now, with large organizations in society, like the American Urological Association and the Prostate Cancer Foundation, we are raising awareness about prostate health and prostate cancer. Right now, nearly one in six men will be affected with the most dreaded disease of the prostate caner. But through widespread screening with the use of the PSA test, the blood test, we are able to detect this cancer much earlier than we had in the past; when before we had the blood test. Now early detection will lead to almost 100% cure rates of this disease. Raena Morgan: That's what I was going to ask you. I was really astounded that a 100% cure rate for this disease? Dr. Aaron Katz: Yes, because many of the patients that are diagnosed now with this blood test, have a very small focus of prostate cancer and they can be treated either using mainstream medicine, or going on some of the dietary supplements that we'll talk about; using an active holistic surveillance program. And many of these men can be cured of this disease. Raena Morgan: Now very often, it's a spouse, a wife, like I would come to you and talk to you about my husband's situation, isn't that correct? Dr. Aaron Katz: Well, I think that's an integral part of the conversation is to have the spouse with him. So because many times, men don't remember what went on in the conversation. But I also think that it's important because when we're talking about the treatments for prostate cancer, in mainstream medicine, some of those treatments may render men with difficulties in urination, difficulties with sexual function. So I think that it's important as a team that the husband and the wife come in together; so that they can both understand what are the possible risks, and benefits of all the treatments. Raena Morgan: Alright, well that's good. So it's a team effort, because it is the problem that men don't like to talk about. Men feel uncomfortable, right? They're anxious. Dr. Aaron Katz: Well, men are very anxious about this condition. I refer in our book to the PSA, which is the Prostate Specific Antigen test as the Patient Stimulated Anxiety test. Raena Morgan: Okay. Dr. Aaron Katz: Because there are many of the men that do get this test are very anxious about the results of the test. Do they have cancer? Will they need a biopsy? If they have cancer, they're already thinking that they're going to lose sexual function, or lose the ability to have adequate urination. Raena Morgan: So what are one of the early symptoms that a man would look for? Dr. Aaron Katz: Well, right now, the most commonly diagnosed male with prostate cancer has no symptoms. In fact, the men come to me and they say, "Dr. Katz, I don't understand. I don't have any symptoms, yet you're telling me that I have cancer." But we do see, when asking further to these men and going into more detail about their history that some of the men are having some difficulties with urinating. They maybe getting up at night more frequently. Raena Morgan: Okay. Dr. Aaron Katz: They may have a slower urinary stream. They may have the inability to empty their bladder; and they may have frequency both at night, and during the day. Now these symptoms do not mean that the patient has prostate cancer by any means. In fact, more commonly, those symptoms are associated with a more benign condition of the prostate called BPH or Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia. That's a benign condition where the prostate can push on the urinary tube or the urethra. We urge all men especially men over the age of 50, to have a yearly blood test, whether they're having those symptoms or not. But if you're under the age of 50 and you're starting to have some of those early warning symptoms of urinating that we just talked about; then we would encourage you to seek medical advice from your urologist in your community, to ensure that maybe you have just benign prostate growth. But you may also have a urinary tract infection, which can also give you those same symptoms. Raena Morgan: Okay. Dr. Aaron Katz K: So you need to have a urine test. You should probably have a blood test. Also, one of the things I think men fear the most, which is that Digital Rectal Examination, which is very important for the doctor to insert his finger into the rectum and feel and palpate the prostate gland to make sure there is no abnormalities in that area. Raena Morgan: Okay, I can feel the men out there squirming. Dr. Aaron Katz: Well, they do, but frankly, it doesn't all that long and using just a finger in lubrication can detect both prostate and Colorectal cancers. Raena Morgan: Well, that's very encouraging, Dr. Katz. We'll visit some more on this, thank you very much. Dr. Aaron Katz: Thank you.