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22 Leaders of Tomorrow! APRIL/MAY 1998 MBC Wolverine OBSERVER
Should
Men Over
40 Screen
for Prostate
Cancer?
by Vonda C. Echols
ne of every 11 white
men and 1 of 9 Afri
can American men
will get prostate can
cer during his life
time. With improved
screening, prostate cancer has the
most rapidly rising increase in re
ported cases. Yet in the vast major
ity of cases, men die with, not from
prostate cancer. The problem is the
prostate capsule and the 10% of can
cers that are more aggressive. Doc
tors are no longer confident that
widespread screening for prostate
cancer does more good than harm.
The biggest problem with screening
is working out whether a tumor is
malignant. Two tests are commonly
used to determine risk: a blood test
for compound called prostate-specific
antigen, and a digital rectal probe
for suspicious lumps. Positive re
sults are generally followed by a
transrectal needle biopsy to see if a
lump is cancerous. Yet, none of
these tests can predict how nasty a
growth will turn. Since it is gener
ally a disease of older men, and be
cause it develops slowly, most of
those who harbor cancerous pros
tates die with them.
The prostate is one of the male sex
glands. It is located just below the
bladder and surrounds part of the
urethra (the tube that carries urine
by Vonda C. Echols
ore and more older
Americans are tying to
kill themselves, and they
are succeeding at an alarming rate.
An estimated 24,000 people 65 or
older attempted suicide in 1995 (the
last year for which figures are
available), and more than 6000
succeeded - a 32 percent increase
over 1980. Though older people
represent just 13 percent of the
population, they account for almost
20 percent of all suicides, and more
than any other age group.
There are many reasons, of course
why an older person might logically
consider suicide, including physical
illness, lose of a love one or an
unwillingness to be a burden to the
family. But studies show that up to
90 percent of the older Americans
who kill themselves are acting not
out of logical despair but under the
influence of clinical depression. In
most cases, they might be readily
treated and their lives saved.
Many Americans have mistaken
ideas about late life depression, the
chief cause of suicide among the
from the bladder during urination).
The prostate produces semen, the
thick fluid that mixes with the
sperm from the testicles. In order
for the prostate to work properly, it
must depend on the male hormone,
testosterone, made by the testicles.
A low-fat diet may help to keep
your prostate working correctly. The
American Cancer Society recom
mends that your intake of fat should
be 30% of your total calories of less.
A general rule is to eat no more than
3 grams of fat for each 100 calories.
Prostate Cancer happens most
often in men over 40. You should
understand that early prostate can
cer usually does not cause symp
toms. If symptoms do happen, they
may be the same as those of benign
programs, so you should see your
doctor yearly starting at age 40.
The symptoms of prostate cancer:
❖ Urinating often (especially at
night)
❖ Difficulty holding urine
❖ Difficulty starting a urinary
stream
❖ Weak or interrupted urinating
❖ Pain or discomfort while
❖ urinating
❖ Blood or pus in urine or semen
❖ Painful ejaculation
❖ Pain in lower back or upper
thighs
If you have any of these problems,
see your doctor. A doctor who spe
cializes in problems with the urinary
tract is a urologist. He can diagnose
and treat prostate problems.
These are the ones who have a
greater chance for cancer:
Family History - There is an in
creased risk if a close family member
has prostate cancer. It is important
to learn as much as you can about
your family medical history.
Age - As you go through the aging
process, your prostate will get larger.
This is a natural process, but it may
cause problems, so it is very impor
tant for men over 40 to have yearly
check-ups.
elderly. Experts offer the following
advice if you suspect someone is
suicidal. How they behave is the
most important thing to look for
such as drinking more, less interest
in friends, family, hobbies and
church going. Careless about per
sonal appearance: the hair un
combed, clothes not cleaned and or
pressed, gives away money and prize
possessions, buys a gun, or stockpile
pills. How they feel or respond:
Lethargic, no appetite, no joy about
life, anger expressed toward self or
others, a sense of hopelessness - in a
word the person is possibly
depressed.
When these symptoms come into
play, you must began to remove the
things that can be used to harm
he/she - such as pills, scissors, or
razors out of reach. Assure the
person that there is a need for their
presence, and also urge him/her to
seek help, if their is resistance,
volunteer to go along with them.
For more information call your
local Mental Health Dept.
Race - African American men
have the highest rate of prostate
cancer in the world. This high rate
has been seen only in the last few
decades,' which suggests that some
environmental factors may be
responsible.
High-Fat Diet - Scientists have
recently discovered that men who
eat a diet high in read meat have a
higher risk of prostate cancer.
Beginning at age 40, you should
have a digital rectal exam (DRE).
The doctor will feel through the
rectum for prostate abnormahties
such as enlargement of lumps.
By age 50, you should have PSA
(Prostate Specific Antigen) blood
test. The PSA allows one to find out
the seriousness of prostate cancer.
African American men and men with
a family history of prostate cancer
should have this test done every year
starting at age 40.
For more information, contact The
American Cancer Society Toll Free:
1-800-ACS-2345.
Jerry CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21
like to churn out trash all day. Have
you ever sat down to watch Jerry
Springer and think about whether
the people are acting or telling the
truth.
People who are Jerryholics don’t
think about the difference between
fiction and non-fiction. Now don’t
get me wrong, there are times where
I turn to the Jerry Springer Show to
get a good laugh at how stupid the
guests look, but not to the extent
where I have to watch it everyday.
Now I understand why Jerry
Springer’s ratings are out running
Oprah Winfrey in the talk show rat
race. I wonder about Jerry
Springer’s television guests, do they
have a few fries missing from the
happymeal box or are they missing
the whole entire meal. I guess that
means the whole entire meal is gone!
I understand that sometimes you
Jerry Springer fans need a little
entertainment, but have you ever
thought about how corrupt the Jerry
Springer Show can be. There are
some basketcases that actually think
this trash is real. Please, give me a
break, we all know that Superman
isn’t real.
Women stripping down to every
tooth and nail, wives’ husbands
sleeping with the daughter, my
grandmother is a bigtime drug
dealer and my twelve year old son
is a marijuana addict. Now come
on, do you really think all of this is
true or have some of you lost a few
nuts and bolts?
If you don’t, think about the
difference between fiction and non
fiction, then some of you have a
serious problem. According to our
generation, this is the most popular
talk show on television.
He’s corrupting the minds of
millions. He should be banned like
asbestos. Why would someone
appear on the Jerry Springer Show
to embarrass their spouse or lover?
Jerry Springer’s revealed secrets are
more like looking at someone’s dirty
laundry.
I wonder who comes up with these
ridiculous talk show ideas or did
something fall from the sky and hit
Jerry Springer on the head. Maybe
Jerry Springer has more on his mind
that I thought. What kind of sick
mind could think up that sort of
stuff on a daily basis?
Dep
rexsion
Amo
n 9
Older Wo
men
CICERO'S
COENEE
The Passing of Mama
by Wylene Jones-Moore
When mama passed away, I felt
abandoned and alone.
Didn't know where to go or what to do.
I lost my companion, my confidant, my
heart, and soul.
How could this possibly be true?
When Mama passed away, I cursed, I
cried.
I asked, Oh Lord, why not me?”
It s the losing of my best friend in the world,
That has left me in such misery!
When Mama passed, away there were
no more calls,
At six a.m. in the morn;
That started my day, reminded me to pray,
And helped lead me safely back home.
When Mama passed away, gone was the
wisdom,
That guided me these twenty-nine years.
Gone were the answers to questions
before I asked,
This thought, always brings me to tears.
NOW that Mama has passed away,
Removed, is the nuisance called pain.
She’s gone on home with Maggie and
Annie.
Mother and sister, whom she longed to
see again.
Jerry CONTINUED
There is something wrong when
a talk show producer comes up with
a show topic like “My Mother Won’t
Stop Sleeping with My Crack
Dealer.” What is it about the Jerry
Springer Show that everybody loves,
or do people enjoy watching other
people make idiots out of themselves
on national television?
I often wonder why certain lan
guage is used on national television.
The point I’m trying to get across to
some viewers, is why would someone
appear on national television and
misuse words like jeopardize and
confusion? O.K., I guess jepartize
and confusement are two new words
that haven’t been placed in the
Webster dictionary.
Well, you can’t blame this on
Ebonics. Doesn’t anyone care about
how stupid these people look on
national television? I guess not! I’m
not saying that people don’t have the
right to entertain themselves, but for
Heaven sakes, find something better.
If I wanted to see two women pull
each others hair out, then I would
stop by and watch a street fight. If I
wanted to hear about Laura May’s
husband Billy Bob sleeping with the
next door neighbor, wouldn’t you
think I’d just go to a divorce court
to watch the action.
I really think people who appear
on the Jerry Springer Show need
some professional help from 1-800-
CHARTER. Without these trash
talk shows, we would not have enter
tainment on television. Come to
think about it - there’s a Jerry
Springer show live throughout the
Atlanta University Center everyday.