Sandra Jaeger of Georgetown is a member of the board of the Maine Coalition to Fight Prostate Cancer.

Many famous men, including President Joe Biden, Sen. Angus King and King Charles, have publicly disclosed their prostate cancer diagnosis. Even a popular character on the TV series “And Just Like That” has a current storyline about how his wife reacts to the news.

But what has that got to do with you? So many seem so old and you’re only 45. Why pay attention? You are told that 60% of those diagnosed are 65 or older so you think you are not vulnerable. But think about it. What that statistic means is that 4 out of 10 men with cancer of the prostate are younger than 65 and sadly, cases occur to men in their 50s and even 40s.

When caught early, 98% of men are alive after five years, but if the cancer has spread, treatments, while often effective, might affect the quality of life.

Sadly, in the United States in 2025 it is predicted that 313,780 men will be told they have PCa and 35,770 will die from it. Even more sadly, the rate has escalated about 3% per year and that statistic we believe has to do with the fact that about 10 years ago, the PSA testing (a simple blood test) was no longer always recommended and it was suggested that men “talk” to their physician.

Many doctors stopped offering the blood test and too many men didn’t realize they should request it. In fact, at a recent health event, many men stated they thought that the PSA was included in their lab work when they went for a physical. But while some physicians offer it, not all do, and men need to request it if it is appropriate for them.

The United States Preventive Task Force is now considering revising its guidelines but in the meantime men have to ask themselves if they are vulnerable. We urge them to check the NCCN (National Comprehensible Cancer Network) guidelines and also use their common sense. Do they fall into a category where at least a baseline PSA should be considered?

And while current guidelines suggest stopping PSA testing after age 75, many men live well into their 80s and beyond in good health. That cut-off may no longer make sense for everyone.

Too many men don’t want to have a PSA because they fear the treatment if they are diagnosed. They fear incontinence and erectile dysfunction, and that directly affects their vision of who they are as men. The reality is that with an early diagnosis, only active surveillance may be needed and no treatment occurs but you are carefully monitored to make sure that the cancer does not spread beyond the prostate.

And, while lingering incontinence can happen after active treatment, the majority of men do not experience it. And there are many solutions that present themselves for ED and men can still offer their partners great sexual satisfaction and experience the same for themselves.

We urge men to confront their fears and check out the guidelines to see if they are in a category that requires great attention such as having a father or brother who has had a diagnosis, and to better understand the meaning of the test results. We also encourage women to become knowledgeable about the guidelines so they can have discussions with the men in their lives and urge them to have their PSA when appropriate.

Don’t wait. Talk to your doctor. Know your risk. Get tested.