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PROSTATE CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
You Cannot Manage What You Do Not Measure
Hi Friends,
You cannot manage what you do not measure.
That applies whether a man feels healthy, is trying to stay on top of his health or is already living with a diagnosis.
I learned this firsthand in 2010. When I finally returned for a routine checkup after going more than a decade without one, I learned that my testosterone was low and my PSA was elevated. A repeat PSA was even higher.
Those results did not diagnose prostate cancer, but the elevated PSA led to more questions, further evaluation and a biopsy that confirmed the diagnosis when I was 35.
For 16 years, tracking my numbers has been part of living with prostate cancer. I follow my PSA and the other tests my doctors recommend so we can see whether anything changes over time.
Numbers also help me manage my overall health. I pay attention to my blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, blood sugar and other health measures recommended by my doctors. Men in my family have died from heart attacks and strokes, so those numbers are personal to me.
They remind me that feeling fine does not always tell the whole story.
WHY NUMBERS MATTER
Many serious health concerns can develop quietly. A man can have high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol or high blood sugar without obvious warning signs. Early prostate cancer may also cause no symptoms.
A number by itself does not provide every answer. But it can raise a question that deserves attention.
PSA stands for prostate-specific antigen. A PSA test measures its level in the blood and can provide information about prostate health.
An elevated PSA does not mean a man has prostate cancer. It may lead to a repeat test and, when appropriate, more testing such as imaging or a biopsy. Those steps can help a man and his doctor decide what comes next.
Measuring is not about creating fear. It is about having information that helps us ask better questions and make informed decisions.
ACTIVE MUST STAY ACTIVE
For men like me who are living with low-risk prostate cancer, active surveillance is one of the clearest examples of why measuring over time matters.
Active surveillance is an approach that monitors the cancer closely rather than beginning treatment right away. Treatment may be considered if testing shows that the cancer is changing.
Last year, I interviewed a man on the Blue Cure Men’s Health Podcast who had been on active surveillance for nearly 20 years.
Looking back, he acknowledged that his follow-up had become less consistent. He described his approach as “inactive surveillance.”
He later learned that his prostate cancer had spread to a lymph node.
His experience does not mean that becoming less engaged caused his cancer to spread. It is a reminder that active surveillance requires staying involved and following the individualized monitoring plan developed with your medical team. PSA is important, but it may not tell the entire story.
That plan may include following changes in PSA over time, medical visits, imaging and repeat biopsies.
WHAT I HEARD AT PCRI
That conversation was on my mind last weekend when I attended the Prostate Cancer Research Institute Conference in Los Angeles.
I participated in breakout sessions with men on active surveillance. Some had recently been diagnosed. Others had been monitoring their cancer for five, 10 or more years.
Many said they felt fine. But they also spoke openly about the anxiety of living with prostate cancer and the fear that it could grow or become more difficult to manage.
When they learned that I have lived with prostate cancer for 16 years, several asked how I keep that fear from taking over. Some pulled me aside after the sessions to ask me privately.
I told them that I have not always handled the uncertainty well. I used to carry a great deal of anxiety about what might happen. Over time, I learned to put more of my energy into the things I can influence: keeping my doctor’s appointments, following my monitoring plan, asking questions and maintaining lifestyle habits that support my overall health.
For me, that includes staying physically active, paying attention to what I eat, getting enough sleep, finding healthy ways to manage stress and following important health numbers. None of those habits can guarantee what my cancer will do. But I can keep measuring what matters, stay engaged and respond to what the numbers show. That gives me a constructive way to live with the uncertainty instead of allowing fear to take over.
My encouragement was simple: keep the “active” in active surveillance. Know when your PSA and other recommended tests are due. Ask what changes your doctor is watching for. Understand your follow-up plan. Don’t let feeling fine become a reason to stop following up.
If you have fallen behind, do not let embarrassment keep you from restarting the conversation with your doctor.
START WITH ONE STEP
You do not need a prostate cancer diagnosis to begin measuring what matters.
Start with a routine checkup. Ask which health numbers are appropriate for you, what your results mean and when they should be checked again.
Blue Cure’s Know Your Numbers Men’s Health Checklist can help you get started. Men can use it to prepare for an appointment, and women and caregivers can share it with a father, husband, brother, son or another important man in their lives.
Download the Blue Cure Men’s Health Checklist at BlueCure.org.
Print it, write on it and bring it to your next appointment.
HELP US REACH MORE MEN
During Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, I am asking for your support to help Blue Cure reach more men and families with practical health education.
Would you consider giving $10, $25, $50 or whatever you can? Your donation helps us provide educational resources, share patient experiences, interview medical experts and encourage more men to take an active role in their health.
Donate to Blue Cure.
Thank you for supporting Blue Cure and helping more men know their numbers and stay engaged in their health.
Gabe Canales
Founder, Blue Cure Foundation
This content is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. Discuss personal health, testing and monitoring decisions with a qualified healthcare professional.
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