For many, September brings the start of fall and pumpkin spice season. For Dr. Ken Jacobsohn, the month brings an increased focus on his work as a urologic oncologist.
September is National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, which implores men to learn more about the risks of prostate cancer and the possible benefits of screening. Jacobsohn, who's a professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin, says prostate cancer is relatively common. He says it's generally a slow-growing cancer and often occurs in older men, whose bodies spread cancer at a slower rate than younger people.
Over the past couple decades, treatment of prostate cancer has evolved to reflect the needs of those impacted, Jacobsohn says. For people older or elderly people with prostate cancer, doctors are increasingly turning to treatment (or non-treatment) that has a better impact on their quality of life.
"We're much more selective in who should get treatment than we used to be. We have a better understanding that we were over-treating a lot of patients before," he explains.
