SEPTEMBER / PROSTATE CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
Prostate cancer.A conversation today.
A clearer path ahead.
Know your risk. Understand the test.
Make the decision together.
Dr. Sachin Arakere Nataraj27 · 09 · 2026
We make plans for our work, our families and our future. Yet a conversation about prostate health is easy to postpone. This September, make room for it—without fear, embarrassment or the assumption that feeling well means everything is well.
A guide for men and their familiesSmall gland. Important conversation.
When should you discuss testing?
Average risk
A useful age to start an informed discussion, following American Cancer Society guidance.
Higher risk
Start earlier if your father or brother had prostate cancer before age 65.
Very strong family history
Discuss testing if more than one first-degree relative was diagnosed young.
These are ages for a discussion, not automatic annual testing. Guidelines differ. Known inherited cancer-risk variants may justify earlier specialist advice. Your health, likely benefit, preferences and previous PSA results should shape the plan. 34
A raised PSA is a signal—not a diagnosis.
PSA is a blood test. Benign enlargement and inflammation can also raise it. An abnormal result may lead to a repeat test, clinical assessment and MRI; biopsy is considered when the overall risk warrants it. Screening can find important cancer earlier, but also cause false alarms and detect disease that would never have caused harm. 5
A blood test that helps assess risk.
Imaging that helps locate suspicious areas.
Tissue sampling to confirm cancer and its grade.
Discuss
Age, family history and preferences
Assess
PSA and clinical evaluation
Clarify
MRI and biopsy when indicated
Decide
Grade, stage and your priorities
An individualised pathway—not a compulsory sequence for every man. Biopsy confirms the diagnosis; imaging alone does not. 15
A diagnosis does not mean the same treatment for everyone.
Active surveillance
For suitable low-risk disease, planned PSA checks, imaging and repeat biopsies can defer treatment safely. This is structured monitoring.
Surgery or radiotherapy
Established options for appropriate localised cancers. Discuss cancer control alongside urinary, sexual and bowel effects. Robotic surgery remains surgery performed by a surgeon.
Focal therapy
HIFU treats a selected area of the prostate in carefully selected men. Long-term comparative evidence is less mature. EAU guidance limits focal ablation to trials or registries; ongoing PSA, MRI and biopsy follow-up matter.
Systemic treatment
Cancer that has spread usually needs medicines such as hormone-based combinations; other treatments depend on disease features and prior therapy.
The right decision depends on the cancer’s grade and stage, overall health and what matters to you. A multidisciplinary discussion can help compare suitable options. 16
Care for the person, not only the cancer.
The first question after a diagnosis is often: “What happens to my life now?” Worries about intimacy, continence, work and money deserve time in the consultation. A partner or trusted relative can listen, take notes and help organise follow-up—while keeping the patient’s wishes central.
Physical health
Discuss exercise, nutrition, urinary and sexual rehabilitation. During hormone therapy, ask about bone and metabolic health.
Emotional health
Fear, low mood and changes in confidence are valid concerns. Ask for counselling or support if they persist.
Practical support
Ask for an itemised estimate covering treatment and follow-up. Clarify insurance, travel, time off work and who to contact with concerns.
Support should continue after treatment. Healthy activity, not smoking and a balanced diet support overall health; supplements are not a substitute for cancer care. 78
Three assumptions worth challenging.
“I feel well, so I cannot have cancer.”
Early prostate cancer often has no symptoms. A risk discussion can be useful even when you feel well.
“A high PSA means cancer.”
PSA can rise for several reasons. The next step is an assessment, not a conclusion.
“A diagnosis means immediate surgery.”
Some cancers can be monitored. Others need treatment. Grade, stage, health and personal priorities guide the choice.
Five questions to take to your consultation.
- What is my individual risk—and should I have a PSA test?
- If my PSA is raised, what should happen next?
- If cancer is found, what are its grade and stage?
- What are my choices and their effects on everyday life?
- What will follow-up involve, and what will it cost?
Make September your starting point.
- Find out your family history.
- Discuss whether PSA testing is right for you.
- Encourage a man you care about to start the conversation.
Not sure where to begin? Use the prostate risk checker to prepare for a conversation with your doctor.
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