Give Your Dad the Gift of Good Health

Earlier this month on Father’s Day, families treated their dads to gifts like new ties and barbecue grills. Another gift that people may take for granted is the gift of good health.

The Fifth Annual Michigan Institute of Urology (MIU) Run for the Ribbon 5K was on Father’s Day this year at the Detroit Zoo. The mission of the run, walk and gala was to promote education, research and treatment of prostate cancer and men’s health issues.

Prostrate cancer is still the number one cancer among men, said Dr. William K. Johnston III, urologist at MIU's Novi office. 

Earlier this year, the American Urological Association released new guidelines that had urologists recommending less prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing for prostate cancer. Johnston said the guidelines were misinterpreted. 

PSA testing can be a man’s lifesaver when used appropriately, he said. 

He said the recommendation was not that men don't need PSA testing but that there are stricter guidelines for who is tested. A PSA test is like a smoke detector in your house, he said.

"Sometimes the smoke detector goes off and there’s no fire, but you need to investigate it," he said.

A PSA screening is not a perfect test, he said, but it's the best method doctors have. He said events like the MIU Run raise funds for more research and support groups for men diagnosed with prostate cancer. These events also help men get more in touch with their health, he said. 

"It’s not just about prostrate cancer," Johnston said.

He said cholesterol and diabetes are other big health issues for men, and men need to talk with their doctors about them. He recommends getting a PSA test at 45 and continuing yearly. 

"The most powerful data we can have is year to year," he said.

Patients with prostate cancer have hope, he said. There are minimally invasive robotic techniques, which Johnston said he has been doing for years. 

"Really, these guys go on to live their lives well," he said.