Urology Centers of Alabama will once again be conducting free prostate cancer screenings in Pike County from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Saturday, March 30 at the Pike County Health Department.

“The prostate screenings take about 10 minutes and that’s 10 minutes that could save your life,” said Dr. Tom Moody, Urology Centers of Alabama in Birmingham. “All men ages 40 and over should have an annual prostate screening. Just because you had a prostate screening last year doesn’t mean that you don’t need to be screened.”

Alabama is now number one in the United State for prostate cancer deaths among African Americans and the latest statistics on prostate cancer are staggering.

Urology Centers of Alabama reported that the updated stats on prostate cancer in the United States for 2013 include 238,590 new cases with the estimated deaths at 29,720. New cases in Alabama reached 3,940 with the number of estimated deaths at 550.

“Since our first time to screen in Pike County in 2012, we have screened 286 men with 13 percent found to have an abnormality,” Moody said.

Moody said that there are no early symptoms of prostate cancer so early detection is the key. The high death rate from prostate cancer in Alabama is an indication that not enough men are getting checked.

The screening is a simple procedure that includes a blood test and a rectal exam.

All that is needed to conduct the screening is a name and reliable address to send the results.

If an abnormality is found, Urology Centers of Alabama will follow-up with a phone call and strongly recommend seeing a physician of choice if that has not already been done.

In cases where there is no insurance, and regardless of ability to pay, Urology Centers of Alabama will make arrangements for those with abnormalities.