SWLA prostate cancer survivor, urologist encourage screenings

LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) - September is National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and according to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, it’s the most common non-skin cancer found in men in the U.S.

Kenneth Babin has been getting his prostate cancer screening since he was 40 years old due to a family history of the cancer. He was officially diagnosed with prostate cancer back in 2019.

“My blood levels was going up, and Dr. Rutland went ahead and done a biopsy and went ahead and got the results in, got them back pretty quick, so I was a little scared then but he went ahead and explained everything to me, you know, yes I had cancer,” Babin said.

He said he went through surgery in February 2020 and did not have to go through any treatment.

“It’s been three years and my PSA [prostate-specific antigen] level is still zero,” Babin said.

Dr. Edward Rutland, a local urologist, said the issue with prostate cancer is there are often no early symptoms, which is what makes it so dangerous.

“Essentially by the time you are having symptoms from prostate cancer, the symptoms you do have is bone pain or blood in the urine from the cancer already having spread all over the body,” he said.

Dr. Rutland said the question of when you should start getting your prostate checked is very individualized.

“For people at low risk, generally we say that you start your first PSA at about age 50. If you don’t have a primary relative with prostate cancer, meaning a father or brother, and you’re at low-risk, then start at 50, you get your PSA exam with a digital rectal exam once a year,” he said.

Dr. Rutland said African American men tend to get prostate cancer at an earlier age and in a more aggressive form.

“They are in the slightly higher risk group, so an African American male with no family history should start getting their PSA and digital rectal exam at age 45,” Dr. Rutland said.

He said it is very important to get checked because you can only treat a cancer you know about.

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