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# DP Don’t be a bum, take care of your bum
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/dp-dont-be-a-bum-take-care-of-your-bum/
- Published: 2006-12-28T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T23:29:31.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Marina del Rey, #archive-import

The New Year is a perfect time for men to make resolutions that will make their health a top priority. Men over the age of 35 should take their health into their own hands by asking their doctor about the risks and benefits of taking a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test and digital rectal exam (DRE) to detect early signs of prostate cancer.

“As the baby boomer male population ages, it becomes increasingly important to inform them about the seriousness of prostate cancer,” explained Mark Scholz, M.D., medical director at the Prostate Oncology Specialist Inc. in Marina del Rey.

Most men are still reluctant about getting screened for prostate cancer even though it is the most common cancer in America and is the second-leading cause of male cancer-related death in the U.S., according to the latest data released by the Prostate Cancer Foundation, which estimates approximately 232,000 men will be diagnosed this year and 30,000 men will lose their lives to it.

Research shows approximately nine out of 10 cases of prostate cancer are now detected early as a result of PSA testing. Both PSA and DRE exams are done together to increase the accuracy of the diagnosis.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on December 28, 2006.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/122806.pdf?ref=smdp.com)