PROSTATE CANCER SCREENING IS SET

Cape Girardeau's two hospitals have joined a nationwide effort to help men find out if they may have the second most fatal cancer.

Southeast Missouri Hospital and St. Francis Medical Center will sponsor a free prostate screening clinic Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Southeast's Regional Cancer Center. The screening is being held during the third annual Prostate Cancer Awareness Week.

To make an appointment, call the center at 651-5550. Although the clinic is open to all men, the screening is particularly recommended for men over 50.

Southeast's assistant administrator, Richard Meyer, and St. Francis' vice president of patient care, Marcia Southard-Ritter, said that last year more than 150,000 men received free exams nationwide. Among a sample of men for whom follow-up was completed, 20 percent were found to have cancer.

Locally, about 200 men were screened and 10 percent were found to have abnormalities.

"Experience demonstrates that screening programs are an effective way to educate the public about prostate cancer and the importance of regular exams," Meyer said.

Southard-Ritter said: "Because prostate cancer can develop and spread with no warning signs, early detection is critical. Cape Girardeau is pleased to be part of this national screening program. Screening programs and public information about prostate cancer mean a better chance for early detection of the disease and a better prognosis for patients."