Opinion: What Public Health Messaging Gets Wrong About Prostate Cancer

One in eight men in the U.S. will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society. Most American patients who have prostate cancer are diagnosed before they experience a single symptom. Many sites, including some from high-profile medical groups, state prostate cancer is associated with lower-urinary tract symptoms, or LUTS, which include signs such as a frequent need to urinate. In reality, these symptoms only occur in a small percentage of prostate cancer patients, usually those with advanced disease. By emphasizing the need to watch out for symptoms, public health messaging risks patients skipping regular screenings in the absence of clear signs. Read more from UnDark here.