Last week’s program was presented by Rotarian Dennis Brownlee.  Dennis’ guest speaker was Dr.Amber Orman, Radiation Oncologist, Moffit Cancer Center.  Dr. Orman spoke to the club about Prostate Cancer.  Dr. Orman believes in treating not only the disease but also the whole patient.  Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in American men, and it is especially common in men over the age of 50. Nine out of 10 prostate cancers are classified as adenocarcinomas, which originate in the cells of the prostate gland. However, rare cancers may sometimes develop in the cells of the prostate ducts, the cells that line the urethra or the cells that cover the prostate gland.  In most cases, prostate cancers are slow-growing and highly responsive to treatment. Depending on each patient’s specific needs the following treatment options are available; Surgery, Radiation therapy, Chemotherapy, Biological therapy.  Although there is no known cause of prostate cancer, several risk factors have been established through years of dedicated research. For instance, men with a family history of the condition have been found to have a higher likelihood of developing it themselves. However, it’s important to remember that there’s no proven way to predict a person’s prostate cancer risk; many at-risk individuals never become ill, while others develop the disease without having a single risk factor. The known prostate cancer risk factors include: Being 65 years of age or older (risk increases with age, and very few men under the age of 45 are diagnosed with prostate cancer), Having a father, brother or son who has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, Eating a diet that’s high in red meat products and full-fat dairy products, and is low in fruits and vegetables.  A prostate cancer screening may incorporate one or both of the following tests: 1. A digital rectal exam (DRE), which allows a physician to manually assess the size of the prostate and check for any abnormal lumps. Should an unusual growth be found, the physician may request a transrectal or transperitoneal biopsy to help determine the nature of the cells. 2.  A prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, which measures levels of PSA in the blood. Higher PSA levels may be indicative of prostate cancer, although elevated PSA levels may also result from other non-cancerous conditions. If a patient’s PSA test results are unusually high, a physician can order additional tests to determine the cause. The goal of these prostate cancer screening techniques is to identify potentially cancerous growths early on in their development, when the tumors are most responsive to treatment and the prognosis is most favorable. The prostate cancer survival rate is exceptionally high. Because the cancer grows very slowly and responds well to treatment, the majority of patients are able to lead long and healthy lives. Nearly 100 percent of patients live at least five years after their diagnosis, 99 percent of patients live at least 10 years after their diagnosis, 94 percent of patients live at least 15 years after their diagnosis.  As with other cancers, prostate cancer has the most favorable survival rates when patients are diagnosed early.
 -submitted by Mike Arndt

Birthdays This Month

Brian Griffin - June 11
Matt Edgemon – June 20
Mike Arndt - June 22

Club Anniversaries This Month

Adam Myers - 1 year
Steve Wyman – 3 years
Matt Edgemon – 4 years
Maida Pou – 8 years
Mac McGrath – 14 years
Felix Haynes – 17 years (32 total in Rotary)
Michael Watkins – 17 years
James Surrency – 22 years
Clayton Jenkins – 30 years