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Joseph Wayne Singleton, a 45-year-old musician from Opelousas, Louisiana, shared how a routine physical led to an early diagnosis that saved his life.
When Singleton was 33, his wife urged him to schedule a more thorough physical. Although he underwent annual exams to maintain his commercial driver’s license, she felt those checkups weren’t comprehensive enough.
“My mentality was, ‘OK, to make my wife happy, I’m going to do this and prove to her that I’m in perfect shape,'” he told Digital.
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Although Singleton was too young for prostate cancer screening, his doctor decided to run a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test.
“He couldn’t explain what made him do that, but he did,” he said.
Wayne Singleton, frontman of The Urban Kreyol Band, sings on stage. (Wayne Singleton/Instagram @josephsingleton18)
Singleton’s results came back revealing PSA levels that were “through the roof.” After a biopsy, he was later diagnosed with prostate cancer.
“It was totally unexpected,” he said. “No symptoms.”
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Singleton, who was treated at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, said the doctors had never seen prostate cancer in someone so young.
After undergoing a prostatectomy to remove the prostate, Singleton said his relatively young age contributed to what he described as a “miraculous” recovery.
“A couple of weeks after having the prostatectomy, I was back on airplanes flying across the country doing shows with my band,” he said. “It wasn’t as bad as it possibly could have been.”
“By the grace of God, I’m here now,” Singleton reflected. “It was quite an eye-opener. It made me question myself … a lot of ‘why me?'”
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Singleton added, “I’m still here after all those years, and there was definitely a purpose behind everything that happened.”
A push for earlier screening
Part of that purpose, Singleton said, is to advocate for earlier prostate cancer screening when appropriate.
“I came to the conclusion that because of the platform that I have, being a musician, that maybe it was meant for me to be an advocate,” he said. “I’m having people reach out to me from all across the country [who are] finding out about my story … and I think it’s very important.”
Singleton said he hopes to be an advocate for early screening while touring with his music. (Wayne Singleton/Instagram @josephsingleton18)
“This could have turned out so much worse had I not gotten tested early,” he went on. “I hate to think what could have happened.”
“If I could help prevent somebody else from going through what I might have gone through, worse than what I went through, that’s the main goal.”
Clashing guidelines
While Singleton advocates for earlier prostate cancer screening in younger men, even without symptoms, current screening guidelines do not recommend it.
Robert Smith, Ph.D., senior vice president of cancer screening at the American Cancer Society in Atlanta, Georgia, confirmed that current prostate cancer screening procedures differ depending on the patient.
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“The one thing most organizations agree on is that clinicians should discuss prostate cancer screening with men, emphasizing benefits, limitations and harms associated with screening, diagnosis and treatment, rather than issue a direct recommendation to undergo screening,” he told Digital.
Men could potentially reduce their risk of prostate cancer by eating healthy, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, avoiding tobacco use and limiting alcohol intake. (iStock)
The recommended age to begin prostate cancer screening remains a topic of debate, with some guidelines suggesting as early as 45 and others recommending age 50 or 55 for average-risk men.
Recommendations for when to stop screening also vary, generally ranging from ages 69 to 75 or when life expectancy is less than 10 years. Guidelines also differ on screening frequency, ranging from annual testing to every two to four years.
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For men at higher risk, including Black men and those with a family cancer history, Smith noted that guidelines recommend more frequent screening, starting at 40 to 45 years old.
Prostate cancer screening guidelines have long emphasized weighing the benefits against the risks, including overdiagnosis, overtreatment and potential side effects such as urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction, Smith said.
“However, over this period, it has become clear that prostate cancer screening is more effective at reducing prostate cancer deaths than was previously believed, and there are new strategies … to mitigate the harms associated with diagnosing and treating prostate cancer.”
Guidelines recommend that men at higher risk begin screening earlier, from 40 to 45 years old, and get screened more frequently. (iStock)
Guidelines on screening and treatment have evolved based on this new evidence and will likely continue to change, Smith noted.
The doctor said Singleton’s diagnosis was concerning because he was in his early 30s, had no symptoms and no known risk factors. Prostate cancer is uncommon in men younger than 40, so current guidelines generally would not have recommended screening in his case.
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Prostate cancer screening is intended for men who do not have symptoms. Men who develop symptoms — including changes in urination, blood in the urine or semen, or persistent back or hip pain — should see a doctor promptly for evaluation, experts advise.
“Regular PSA testing can reduce the risk associated with being diagnosed with an advanced prostate cancer,” the doctor said. (iStock)
Smith noted that there is no guaranteed way to prevent prostate cancer, as its biggest risk factors — age, race and family history — cannot be changed.
As with many cancers, however, research suggests that maintaining a healthy lifestyle may help lower the risk. That includes eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, avoiding tobacco and limiting alcohol consumption.
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“These are behaviors that not only reduce the risk of cancer, but also cardiovascular disease and diabetes,” Smith said. “Some studies have suggested that staying sexually active can lower risk, but results are mixed.”
“Regular PSA testing can reduce the risk associated with being diagnosed with an advanced prostate cancer.”
