Tanner News

Tanner Health System is partnering with the physicians at West Georgia Urology this November to offer free prostate cancer screenings to area men.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men, and the second-leading cause of cancer-related death. According to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, every American male has at least a 17 percent chance of developing prostate cancer.

Fortunately, prostate cancer is extremely treatable if detected early. A prostate exam is a quick and relatively painless way for a qualified physician to diagnose prostate cancer well before any symptoms are present, and when treatment can be the most effective.

“These free screenings provide an invaluable opportunity to detect prostate cancer early,” said James Cullison, MD, a board-certified urologist with West Georgia Urology and a member of the medical staff at Tanner Health System. “Early detection is a vital step to successfully treating prostate cancer. I hope men from across west Georgia will take advantage of this potentially life-saving opportunity.”

Men should receive a screening if they are age 50 or older, or if they are under age 50 with a family history of prostate cancer. Men who have a family history of prostate cancer and black men should especially consider receiving a prostate cancer screening, as the majority of prostate cancer cases are diagnosed in these groups. However, men of any age who may have symptoms of prostate cancer should be screened. Symptoms include weak or interrupted flow of urine; urinating often (especially at night); difficulty urinating or holding back urine; inability to urinate; pain or burning when urinating; blood in the urine or semen; nagging pain in the back, hips or pelvis; or difficulty having an erection.

Screenings will be held at Higgins General Hospital on Tuesday, Nov. 1; Tanner Medical Center/Carrollton on Thursday, Nov. 3; Tanner Medical Center/Villa Rica on Nov. 10; Tanner Primary Care of Wedowee on Wednesday, Nov. 9; and Tanner Medical Center/Villa Rica on Thursday, Nov. 10. Screenings at each location will be available from 5 to 7:30 p.m.

West Georgia Urology is the practice of James Cullison, MD; Kevin McLaughlin, MD; John C. Pearson, MD; and Chris Powell, MD.

To schedule a screening, call 770.214.CARE. Registration is required. Additional criteria may apply.