As fall rolls into the last quarter of 2026, September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Created to highlight the disease’s risks and provide dedicated time for advocacy and education, Prostate Cancer Awareness Month also encourages men to get screened for early detection.
Experts from Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles speak about the importance of prostate cancer screenings, health risks, and more.
“The risk of prostate cancer increases significantly with age, but age alone does not determine who develops the disease,” said Dr. Branden Turner, a family medicine physician with Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles. “Family history, genetics, and race are also important factors. African American men, in particular, face a higher risk and are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced disease.”
According to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, Black men are nearly 70 percent more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than white men. Prostate cancer can show as early as 35years old, and if it shows early, it is referred to as early-onset prostate cancer. Also, Black men are recommended to begin screening for prostate cancer between the ages of 40 to 45 years old, while on average, non-Black men are recommended to start at 45 years old. Prostate cancer can show 3 to 9 years earlier in Black men, and they are also twice as likely to die from prostate cancer in comparison to non-Black men.
Prostate Cancer is normally diagnosed in older men, as the median age is 68, but younger men are still susceptible, although it is rare, according to the National Institutes of Health.
“Although prostate cancer is most often diagnosed in older men, younger men are not immune,” Dr. Turner said. “Men should discuss their personal risk factors with their healthcare provider and make informed decisions about screening. Because early-stage prostate cancer often causes no symptoms, regular medical care and appropriate screening can play a critical role in detection.”
Dr. Turner also explained how men can get a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test and what symptoms to watch for.
“A Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test and routine clinical evaluations are the primary ways prostate cancer is identified,” Dr. Turner said. “Men should also know that urinary symptoms can result from a variety of non-cancerous conditions. Still, any persistent changes should prompt a conversation with a physician.”
“When prostate cancer is found early, patients often have more treatment options and better outcomes,” Dr. Turner said. “That’s why education, awareness and proactive discussions with a trusted healthcare provider are so important.”
Dr. Kirk Tamaddon, a urologist, area medical director, and chief of staff at Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center, discussed his PSA screening protocols.
“The American Urological Association (AUA) says patients at high risk of prostate cancer (Black ancestry, father or brother with prostate cancer history) should be offered prostate cancer screening starting at age 40. Black men have about a 2-fold higher risk of dying from prostate cancer compared with white men. Each individual should have a discussion with their physician about the benefits of early screening in a shared decision-making process,” said Dr. Tamaddon.
He emphasized that it is a “team effort between the doctor and the patient.”
Dr. Tamaddon then discussed how he diagnoses a patient with prostate cancer and how he determines if they have it.
“There are multiple variable/factors/data points doctors use to make that determination, including the patient’s age, signs, symptoms, physical examination findings, blood/serum test results, imaging studies (when indicated), and pathological biopsy testing (when indicated), all help us……doctor and patient together, have an evidence-based, balanced approach to the evaluation of each individual patient, “ he said.
“The best patient outcomes come from the most informed patients. Prostate Cancer Awareness Month gives us an opportunity to do this. Also, ask men to share their own stories, journeys through prostate cancer treatment, to reduce stigma and fears. Have one-on-one discussions with your doctor or read evidence-based, scientifically supported sources such as the American Urological Association Guidelines, which are readily available to the American public.”
