Northside Cherokee To Host Skin, Prostate Cancer Screenings

Northside Hospital-Cherokee will host two screenings designed to help residents detect and prevent two forms of cancer.

The hospital on Wednesday will hold a free skin cancer screening from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 11. A free prostate cancer screening will take place during the same time frame on Wednesday, March 18.

Both screenings will be held at Medical Associates of North Georgia, which is at 320 Hospital Road in Canton. Appointments are required to take advantage of the screenings, and can be made by calling 404-531-4444.

It’s estimated that more than 6,700 men in Georgia will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year, according to the National Cancer Institute. It remains the most frequently diagnosed cancer in men, aside from skin cancer.

Northside Hospital treats more cases of prostate cancer than any other Georgia hospital and leads the way in groundbreaking procedures for better outcomes and less invasive treatments for the disease. The free screening will check adult men for symptoms of prostate cancer and offer prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood tests and rectal exams at no charge.

Uninsured men, ages 40-75, who have never been diagnosed with prostate cancer and haven’t had a prostate exam within the past year, are eligible to participate. Men are encouraged to talk with their health care providers about the benefits and potential risks of prostate cancer testing to determine if screening for prostate cancer is right for them.

A limited number of appointments are available for men with insurance. A nurse navigator will be available to help arrange follow up care, if indicated. Additional prostate cancer screenings will be offered later in the year in Sandy Springs and Cumming.

Did you know that skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer? According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), more than 2,000 cases of melanoma, the most dangerous type of skin cancer, will be diagnosed in Georgia this year. As with other cancers, early detection is important.

Northside Hospital is one of the largest and most respected providers of comprehensive cancer services in the Southeast, combining the latest in technology and research with compassionate patient-centered care. The hospital offers a full continuum of care that encompasses the entire cancer experience, including education, screening, diagnosis, treatment, research, support and survivorship.

Northside’s free skin cancer screening should not replace a complete skin exam with a skin specialist. Additional skin cancer screenings will be offered later in the year in Sandy Springs, Alpharetta and Cumming.