Danbury Hospital To Sponsor Free Prostate Cancer Program And Screening

DANBURY, CONN. — Prostate cancer is the most common cancer, excluding non-melanoma skin cancers, in American men. The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates 180,400 men in the United States will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year, 2,300 of which will be in Connecticut, and 31,900 men in the United States will die of this disease. Nine out of ten men will survive prostate cancer if it is detected early. Learning about prostate cancer risk factors and early detection is key to increasing a man’s chances for survival.

Danbury Hospital, the Western Connecticut Affiliate of the Yale Cancer Center, in conjunction with the American Cancer Society’s New England Division, invite area residents to participate in prostate cancer awareness programs designed to promote early detection and prevention.

“Not For Men Only: Know The Facts About Prostate Cancer,” a free lecture, will be held on Tuesday, September 19, from 7 to 8:30 pm in the Danbury Hospital auditorium, 24 Hospital Avenue. Featured speakers at this medical town meeting, Ira Raff, MD, chief section of urology; Stanford Broder, MD, section of urology; and David Berger, MD, chief section of radiation therapy, will provide a discussion about what’s new in the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer. Participants will receive free educational materials and answers to questions about prostate cancer.

A Prostate Cancer Screening will be held on Wednesday and Thursday, September 20 and September 21, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. Screening will be conducted at the Seifert & Ford Family Community Health Center, Adult Health Center, 70 Main Street, Danbury. This examination includes a risk assessment, physical exam, and a low cost PSA blood test.

Ideal candidates for the screening include men who are 50 to 70 years old, are African-American, have never had a prostate exam, and those that have a family history of prostate cancer. Those who have a family history of prostate cancer or are African-American should be screened at age 40. All men 40 and over should receive regular prostate health care. Men with prostate disease may have no symptoms at all. If detected early, prostate cancer is highly treatable.

Free, off-street parking is available at Seifert & Ford Family Community Center. Participating Danbury Hospital urologists include Edward Beck, MD, Stanford Broder, MD, Raymond Craven, MD, Jeffrey Gorelick, MD, William Hennessey, MD, and Ira Raff, MD, chief urology.

For more information about the Danbury Hospital Medical Town Meeting or Prostate Cancer Screenings, call the Marketing and Public Relations Department at 797-7247.