CBS New York – New York Doctors Stress Importance of Early Prostate Cancer Screening
NYPC featured on CBS New York highlighting early detection and treatment advances
The American Cancer Society predicts 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, with Black men facing the highest mortality rate. But new data shows early screening can be lifesaving—and NYPC is helping make screening accessible right here in East Harlem.
“Data is actually showing that if African-American patients and Caucasian patients both are detected at the same time, then the chance of them doing great is equal,” said Dr. Irini Yacoub, radiation oncologist at New York Proton Center. “So, it all comes down to get screened early, get diagnosed early, get treated early.”
In a recent CBS New York feature, Dr. Yacoub emphasizes that early detection not only improves outcomes, it also expands treatment options while maintaining patients’ quality of life.
Testing has evolved beyond the traditional digital rectal exam. Today, doctors recommend starting with a simple blood test called the Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test, which measures protein levels produced by prostate tissue. According to the National Cancer Institute, a PSA level above 4.0 ng/mL is considered abnormal and may warrant a biopsy.
NYPC—in partnership with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK)—brought cancer screenings to East Harlem on September 30, via the MSK Ralph Lauren Center’s Mobile Health Unit.
Lamont Mitchell, a NYPC graduate diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2023, now advocates for men’s health through Know Your Numbers DC, an organization dedicated to prostate cancer education and screening.
“I think men should become engaged in their health. They should become partners in their health. And not only that, but they should seek the best care you can get,” Mitchell said.