Special to the Signal

The Lowndes County Extension Office and Mt. Zion Disciples of Christ – Christian Church in White Hall are partnering with the Alabama Department of Public Health to create a buzz about prostate cancer.

On Saturday, May 5, the public is invited to attend a Prostate Cancer Awareness Seminar at the Jackson- Steele Community Center in White Hall. The session will be from 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. and breakfast will be provided.

According to information provided by the Lowndes County Extension Office, more than 232,090 men are diagnosed daily with prostate cancer, and of these about 30,350 die.

If detected early, the disease is often treatable. One in six men are at a risk of prostate cancer. A man with a close relative with the disease has double the risk. With two close relatives the risk is five-fold and with three the chance is 97 percent.

The incident rate for African-American men is 60 percent higher than white males and double the mortality (death) rate of white males. Every 100 minutes an African American male dies from prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. It is mainly found in men 55 or over with the average age of 70 at time of diagnosis.

Dr. Clayton Yates, an Assistant Professor in Department of Biology and holds joint appoints in the Center for Cancer Research and Materials Science and Engineering at Tuskegee University, will be the presenter.

He will cover symptoms, risk factors, prevention, and treatment of Prostate Cancer. Early detection and treatment can be the difference between life and death.

Help create a buzz about Prostate Cancer-the focus is on men but women are welcome. The program is free.

For more information or to register for the Prostate Cancer Seminar, contact the Lowndes County Extension Office at (334) 548-2315.