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The Marengo County Health Department, in partnership with Dr. Thomas Moody and Urology Centers of Alabama, will offer free prostate screening on Nov. 16, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the health department at 303 Industrial Drive in Linden.

Statistics show that detecting prostate cancer early, through physical exams and blood tests, can mean a 95 percent survival rate if the disease remains confined to the organ.

Prostate cancer is a disease that will affect one out of every six men at some point in their lives, and more than 32,000 will die from it this year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men in the United States. Alabama has the third highest rate of prostate cancer in the country.

An estimated 4,060 new cases of prostate cancer and approximately 510 prostate cancer deaths are expected to occur in Alabama in 2019. The prostate cancer incidence rate in Alabama is significantly higher than the U.S. rate.

According to Dr. Moody, regular screening for prostate cancer is crucial because the disease typically produces no symptoms until the cancer is in its more advanced stages.

“The percentage of men getting screened in Alabama has been low,” Moody said. “Our death rate from prostate cancer is the third highest in the nation, and we believe it is related to the numbers of men who are not getting screened.”

The prostate screening clinics are provided free of charge to all men regardless of insurance. For those men whose screenings reveal potential problems, follow-up procedures will be recommended. If a client is unable to afford follow-up procedures, Dr. Moody and his association will provide the procedures free of charge.

(This article originally appeared in the Wednesday, November 6 issue of the Demopolis Times.)