Women go to their Gynecologist on a regular basis to be screened for cervical and breast cancer. Men have certain cancer screening requirements that change as they age. These screenings may or may not be covered by your family physician. The Y Factor can help!

Young men in their twenties and thirties need to self-screen for testicular cancer. That means they need to feel their testicles for lumps and bumps. If an abnormal bump is felt, then the next step is to have a physical exam and maybe imaging study by a medical professional. The Y Factor can differentiate suspicious from non-suspicious cancer lesions and often occurs during the first examination!

As men age into their forties, fifties and sixties, they need to be screened for prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is a non-symptom disease. This means that we need to use statistics to know which tests to use and when. The prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood test is widely and well- recognized for prostate cancer screening. Although a PSA level above 4.0 ng/mL is worrisome, what is not well recognized are conditions suggesting prostate cancer when the PSA is below 4.0 ng/mL. These conditions include rapid increases in PSA from test to test, like PSA increase from 1.0 to 3.5 ng/mL. Also, a PSA result of 3.5 ng/mL in a man with family history of prostate cancer needs further evaluation.

The Y Factor uses more advanced testing other than the PSA to determine if cancer is present. BRCA gene testing can determine your risk of forming prostate cancer in the future. For men with PSA above 4.0 ng/mL, not all these men have prostate cancer and our experience and additional testing at The Y Factor can make that important determination. Men on testosterone therapy are watched closely under these above guidelines.

Penile cancer is rare and often caught early because it presents as an abnormal lesion on the penis, similar to an ulcer. We diagnose rather frequently a milder form of a penis tumor called HPV virus tumor or condyloma tumor. We emphasize to men that rarely will this tumor advance into an aggressive form, but the virus can be passed to a partner and create a high risk for cervical cancer, oral cancer, and anal cancers. Those “long standing skin tags” should be looked at by a medical professional and often times are removed by our team in the office. Lesions removed can be sent to a Pathologist for tissue analysis to determine the risk of aggressive cancer forming in you or a partner.

Lastly, let’s discuss bladder and kidney cancer. The risk for these cancers begins over age 35 and is usually first screened by blood in the urine (visible blood or seen only under the microscope). Sometimes we are alerted to bladder cancer by burning during urination or kidney cancer by back pain (rare presentation). What men need is a urine check after the age of 35 and evaluation by a medical provider if they develop burning with urination. If you are a smoker, you should be on high alert.

The Y Factor provides specialized services for men that women have received from their Gynecologist for years. We perform medical care screening daily on men based on age appropriate needs and cancer guidelines. Sometimes, men feel uncomfortable being screened by their family physician. The Y Factor provides men a comfortable and open-discussion environment that minimizes the anxiety or fear of discussing these specific men’s health concerns. Stay ahead of your health and schedule your Y Factor cancer screening today!

“Women have OB-GYNs | Men have The Y Factor!”

Russel H. Williams, MD

Dr. Russel H. Williams is the founder, CEO and CMO of The Y Factor and brings more than 20 years of experience. Dr. Williams earned his Medical Degree at the University of Texas at Dallas Southwestern Medical Center, where he graduated at the top of his class. He completed his urology residency at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, then completed a male reproductive medicine and microsurgery visiting fellowship at the New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center in Manhattan, New York. Dr. Williams is an active member of the American Urological Association, American Society for Reproductive Medicine, and peers recognize him as one of only a handful of Reproductive Urologists focusing on men’s urological wellness & fertility.