University of Mississippi Health Care
UMHC TO OFFER FREE PROSTATE CANCER SCREENINGS
Sep 16, 2009 – Sep 24, 2009
JACKSON, Miss. – The University of Mississippi Health Care Cancer Research and Registry will conduct free prostate cancer screenings for African-American men age 40 and older, men age 40 and older with a family history of prostate cancer, and all other men age 45 and older, from 4-7 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, Sept. 16-17, and Wednesday-Thursday, Sept. 23-24, in the University Physicians Pavilion. The screenings will include a digital rectal exam and a PSA blood test. The screenings are by appointment only. For more information or to make an appointment, call (601) 984-1095.
For more information contact Bruce Coleman at (601) 984-4743 or (bcoleman@pubaffairs.umsmed.edu).

Senator Christopher J. Dodd of Connecticut, age 65, announced on Friday that he had prostate cancer, in an early, treatable form. His PSA blood test, taken during an annual physical exam, plus follow up biopsy and treatment are covered by his Congressional health care plan, he said.

Jenny Potter in The North Bay Nugget, Ontario, Canada, reports “Another obstacle is out of the way for men at risk of developing prostate cancer.” Unfortunately, this is not quite yet the case. As Potter says:

The Ontario government recently announced it will cover the cost of the prostate-specific antigen tests when performed at laboratories.

Currently, publicly funded tests are only available in hospitals, but picking up the tab for those performed in laboratories will make it more convenient for rural patients to be tested.

Trouble is, as Potter’s report goes on to explain:

Men must meet a list of criteria in order to avoid paying $30 for the test at a local laboratory.

Patients showing symptoms of prostate cancer, who have received a diagnosis or who are directly related to someone with the disease qualify to be tested for free.